


Meet Me Halfway (To Your Heart)

by Gomdolii



Category: Dreamcatcher (Korea Band)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Fantasy, Angst with a Happy Ending, Blood and Violence, Denial of Feelings, F/F, Friends to Lovers, Gen, Love Triangles, Love Triangles But Don't Get Your Hopes Up, Samurai, Slow Burn
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-09-16
Updated: 2021-02-15
Packaged: 2021-03-06 19:54:52
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 10
Words: 41,619
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26494456
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Gomdolii/pseuds/Gomdolii
Summary: Kim JiU, a skilled samurai warrior in training, was forced to befriend the confident but clumsy Kim Yoohyeon, a member of another clan, while trying to repress her growing feelings for her own clanmate, Lee Siyeon.
Relationships: Kim Minji | JiU/Kim Yoohyeon, Kim Minji | JiU/Lee Siyeon
Comments: 63
Kudos: 137





	1. Cliff's Edge/Gold at Your Feet

**Author's Note:**

> Bear the first update with me, I'm still trying to set the mood right. 
> 
> Apart from the OT7, all the other characters are made up.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> What do you do when you cross paths with someone whose beliefs are completely different from yours, who was the opposite of everything that you stood for, and you have no choice but to be with them?
> 
> You don't fall in love with them, that's for sure.

-Cliff's Edge-

Today was a wonderful day.

Yoohyeon could feel the sun’s warmth on her body as it stood high in the sky, the clouds doing their best to shield her from it.

But the wind gave a slight breeze, taking away the dryness of the sun on her skin.

She was closer to the edge of the cliff than she ever was, the adrenaline of being close made her own heart thump loudly against her chest.

The waterfall beneath moved with such intensity and speed, drawing her in to feel the coolness of the waters.

The sounds of the water still roared as they reached the bottom, hitting the rocks, before flowing through the whole stretch of the river.

She closed her eyes, taking in the view of the cliffs for one last moment.

Today really was a wonderful day to be out on the cliffs. She thought to herself.

And the only reason she shouldn’t be enjoying the sight of it, was because she was falling off of it.

_________

Jiu knew that if she didn’t fight back now, she wasn’t going to win. But the feeling of dread she had since the morning came over her, overshadowing her instincts as she felt herself thrown off the floor, the impact knocking the breath out of her.

Breathing hard to suffice for what was lost, she opened her eyes to see the tip of the wooden sword aimed at her throat, a devilish grin appearing on her opponent’s face.

Lady Sua had won against her. Again. This was the second time this week and Master Taiyo is not too happy with it.

As she got up to sit, she could feel the dissatisfaction and disappointment forming behind the man’s eyes.

Yet he remained silent, only shifting his attention towards the next pair that were to fight, waiting for her to leave the fighting circle.

It was Lady Gahyeon’s and Lady Dami’s match.

Walking over to where the rest of the warriors were, her own disappointment came over her.

Master Taiyo has been training her for so long, and for her to lose the match just like that, she wasn’t being herself today. 

She shook her head, as she sat down next to Lady Siyeon, joining the spectators.

Lady Siyeon gave a pat on her shoulder, supportive as always.

‘Don’t worry. It happens.’

Jiu could only sigh in response.

‘He looks so disappointed.’ She finally said at last. 

‘Who? Master Taiyo?’ Lady Siyeon frowned. 

‘It was stupid to let my thoughts run wild for a moment. And Lady Sua seized that opportunity. I should’ve been better.’

Jiu was never the type to open up her feelings like this. But this was different. No. Lady Siyeon was different. She had been there for her since the beginning, it’s only fair to do so.

Like she had expected, Lady Siyeon gave her own head an exasperated shook, her loose hair bun shaking along with it, a few of the strands escaping from it.

‘When are you going to stop doubting yourself, Lady Jiu? Master Taiyo’s always like that.’ She replied, giving no attention to the fight that was going on in front of them.

Master Taiyo was their sensei, the head of their district, and Jiu’s savior and master.

Although they were still warrior samurais in training, she had bound herself to him, pledging herself to loyalty. 

Something the others in the academy hadn’t done yet.

Maybe this was why she felt the need to impress him more than the others. So that she could prove to him that she was worthy of being bound to him. Because that was what she had been doing her whole life. 

Courage. Loyalty. Honor.

Her life would mean nothing without them. And Master Taiyo always makes sure to remind her of it.

The final duel finished and the two contestants bowed themselves, with Lady Gahyeon declared the winner and ending the friendly tournament with a final bow at the master. The rest of them began to leave the training grounds to wash up. Lunch time was in a few hours.

_I could spare some time to practice if I —_

‘Jiu.’

Her thoughts got cut off by Master Taiyo’s voice, who hadn’t even moved an inch from his seat.

‘Stay.’ He commanded. So she did, kneeling before him.

Despite being under his command for many years, Jiu could never figure out what he was thinking or what he wanted to say.

But this was quite obvious, he was no doubt going to reprimand her of her match with Sua today. So it surprised her when he said, 

‘I have a quest for you.’

Jiu bowed her head down.

‘As you wish, Taiyo-sensei.’

‘You are to retrieve an object from the second district. Their master had requested to keep it safe for them. He wants it done discreetly. Take Handong and Gahyeon with you. This will be part of your training.’ 

He said, with a firm tone in his voice, handing out a quest scroll with the details of the mission to her. Taking the scroll, Jiu gave a slight bow of her head and began to leave. 

‘And Jiu. You must not let anything distract you from your training. I can sense it in you. Whatever it is, deal with it fast. If you go on like this, you won’t be able to survive the upcoming Swordsman Challenge.’ 

There it was. The warning she had been expecting. Although knowing it was coming beforehand didn’t make her feel any better.

She bowed to pay her respects and left the training ground, wishing whatever feeling she was feeling now, would be over.

_If only it was that easy._

________________________

‘So is that it? We are to just take the seal and leave?’ Lady Handong asked, eyebrows creased in confusion as she stared at the unfolded scroll.

‘Apparently so.’ Jiu replied.

‘Why?’ Lady Gahyeon asked, with the same look of confusion on her face.

‘You do not think that’s a little sketchy to begin with?’ She added, confirming Jiu’s own suspicions.

Jiu knew it was. For a mission to be as simple as one like this. Still, the thought of trying to prove to her master, even if it meant not questioning his wishes, was stronger than the thought of the mission going sideways.

And she just wanted this mission and this day to be over.

‘We will need to be more on alert. We’re meeting them in an hour.’ She said to the girls as they walked, making their way over to the weaponry. 

‘Oh yeah, and where’s that? In the middle of the fucking forest.’ Gahyeon said from behind her.

Despite the formality they show with others around, Lady Gahyeon was more comfortable talking to her, using such absurd words, since they shared the same living quarters, along with Lady Siyeon. 

‘All because they want it discreet.’ Lady Handong agreed. If she was bothered by Lady Gahyeon’s outburst, it didn’t show.

Jiu knew they were a bit reluctant to carry out the mission, but an order was an order and they were trained to obey as such.

The girls said nothing about the topic after that, and soon their topic of conversation went random, often asking Jiu for her opinion on things.

They went on the whole walk down to the forest, making sure to trek as close to the thoroughfare as possible.

The warriors of the second district weren’t hard to spot, with their signature red colour, in contrast to their district’s black. Maybe that’s why their people keep getting attacked. They’re too easy to spot. 

Jiu showed them the piece of paper that came with the scroll, a message of confirmation that they were in fact from district seven, with the Shogun’s seal stamped on top.

The group exchanged bows and their quest was complete in a matter of seconds.

Just as Jiu put the seal in her bag, she heard them. They were faint at first, but they were there. Her hand reflexively went on the sword tied on her waist, ready to draw it from its sheath.

Footsteps, getting louder and louder each moment. But before she could warn the rest of the group, they were surrounded, on all sides.

They had walked right into an ambush.

_______________________________ 

‘Didn’t I tell you, Jiu?’ Gahyeon shouted from behind her, the three of them in position, swords drawn, their backs against each other, circling the attackers that were slowly approaching them.

‘Seriously, do you feel the need to say it now?’ She shouted back, annoyed.

‘I'm not quite sure you both have noticed it, but we are a little occupied right now!’ Lady Handong said, her eyes wandering around. The warriors from District two were not so good either, as they turned their gaze from one attacker to the next.

‘Ah fuck this.’ Jiu cursed under her breath and ran forward, jumping at the last moment.

She lashed out at the figure in front of her, her sword hitting him square in the chest. He went down without a fight, her suddenness giving him no time to retaliate. 

She wasn’t sure if Master Taiyo would be proud. She should have accessed the number of her enemies first, she should have accessed their formation, and proceed with logic.

But this was not the time nor the place to put logic first.

A long silence passed the air as everyone froze, trying to process what had suddenly happened.

Then they began to charge towards one another. The three of them tried their best to fend the attackers away, their priority was to escape, but if chance would let them, they could figure out who they were.

Jiu slashed her sword out swiftly, blood splattering around the forest marsh left and right. Although they were clearly better at sword skill then the rest of them, they were outnumbered.

Her feet moved as she willed turning around to face her attackers in time to counter back. No matter how many they injured, more seemed to be coming their way. Unless they find a way to escape, they’d be in trouble.

That moment of thought was enough for her attacker to unarm her. The sword flew out of her hands in a blink and she was forced to back away, slowly and slowly, until her back hit something solid.

A tree. She was done for now.

Not the first time my feelings got in the way of my survival. 

And it had never annoyed her this much until then. The only thing she could do now was brace for the pain that was coming, as she closed her eyes shut.

But the pain never came.

The similar sound of sword slicing through flesh brought her back to her senses.

Her attacker was face down on the floor. Lady Handong towering over him, blood trickling down her sword. 

‘Run.’ She said, lashing out at another figure. Lady Gahyeon rushed past the two of them, not thinking twice. Then Lady Handong herself did the same. Jiu wanted to figure out who they were and why they were here for, yet she couldn’t.

Most of District Two had found escape, thanks to the unintentional diversion Jiu herself had given. She looked around her surroundings for one last time, before getting up to her feet and made a run for it herself, following the path her friends did seconds ago.

Leaves rattled on the ground beneath her, the wind cooling her sweat-stained face. She could hear the attackers not so far behind. She ran without direction, hoping it’d mislead them.

And it did. Now the only sounds audible was her own footsteps and her ragged breathing. She paused, hands on her knees, trying to catch her breath. 

_Lady Handong, and Lady Gahyeon. I need to find them._

The constant flow of the water told her that she was near the waterfalls. Hopefully, the girls have the same idea as hers. A source of water would be exclusive enough to gather if they ever got lost, which was the case now.

Only when the forest cleared to rock and river, Jiu could sigh in relief.

At least one thing went right today. The girls came over to her, panting like Jiu had before. 

‘What was that?’ Lady Handong said, between breaths.

‘I do not know.’ Jiu shook her head. All she knew was that they needed to get back. They could worry about the rest later.

The sun was shining at its best, as if it wanted to personally scorch the shit out of them. She waited for them to calm their breathing, wondering how something as discreet as their meeting got exposed. The men were trained, not the kinds of bandit one would see. 

Something flickered in the corner of her eye. It was still at first, but the water current carried it closer towards her. 

It was a girl, floating idly on the riverbed, half of her washed ashore.

And blood was everywhere.

___________________

-Gold at Your Feet-

The first thing that went through Jiu’s head when she turned her around was that she was beautiful. That thought alone made her blush. The thought was there only for a split second, as she realised the seriousness of the situation.

There was a gash just above her forehead, which would explain the pool of blood that surrounded. She tried to haul her to the shore but the water was making her heavy, and the current was not helping either. 

The girls rushed by, boots splashing in the shallow water, dragging her by the limbs. She seemed taller than the three of them, but they somehow found a way to carry her together.

Despite the weather, she was as cold as ice. How long had she been like this? But she was still breathing. And if Jiu wants to keep it that way, she’ll have to take her to the Seventh. 

With Gahyeon’s help, Handong hauled her over her shoulders without exchanging a word with either of them. Even if they had lost sight of their attackers, they still needed to be careful. 

Jiu led the way, with the girls following suit. It wasn’t until they reached the gates that they started shouting for help. Their warriors were quick with their feet, wasting no time, as they took the stranger to the healing quarters, one of them ordering for the healer to be summoned. 

‘What happened?’ A familiar voice called out from behind. It was Lady SuA. 

She came over to them, eyes filled with curiosity as her small frame tiptoed over the dispensing crowd.

‘We found her like that, I do not know what happened.’ Jiu tried to reply as coolly as she could.

‘After we got attacked, that is.’ Lady Gahyeon walked over, almost complaining, as the door to the healing quarters closed shut. No doubt she got kicked out. 

‘Are you okay, Lady Jiu?’ Lady Sua looked at her from head to toe, checking her for wounds, like she hadn’t tried to give her one this morning. 

_It was just a friendly match, Jiu. Let it go._

She reminded herself. They were only for training. Yet the bitterness of her loss didn’t lessen. 

‘Lady Jiu?’ Lady Sua’s concerned eyes were now staring at her. 

‘What?’ She said, her voice harsher than intended.

‘You’re bleeding.’ Lady Sua said again, her eyes trailing down to her leg.

Not once did she feel being cut, let alone the pain, it almost surprised her. She was too caught up in trying to stay alive, it didn’t actually occur to her to check herself. 

Now that the adrenaline was gone, the pain finally came.

‘I. I’m fine.’ She said weakly, suddenly feeling nauseous, but her legs did the opposite of what she claimed, as they gave out. 

Strong arms caught her from behind. They grabbed her before she fell. 

It was Lady Siyeon. 

‘Whoa. I’ve got you.’ She said, her warm breath brushing the back of her neck. How and where she appeared from, she didn’t know. 

Lady Sua looked at the scene, not quite sure what to do to be of help.

‘I’ll take her to her room, Lady Sua. Will you please inform Master Taiyo of our situation?’ 

‘I’ll be fine.’ She said again, as stubborn as ever, but she knew that accepting help when needed was not weakness. There was nothing wrong with taking it.

So she let Lady Siyeon lead her to her room, leaning on her for support. 

When they reached Jiu’s room, she gave her some space to remove her clothing and cover the bare parts.

'Where’s your healing kit?’ She asked, entering the room on her permission.

‘It’s in the drawer.’ She replied, leaning herself against the wall. When she got what she was looking for, she sat down beside her, observing the injury on her thigh.

‘It’s not deep, but it’ll need stitches.’ 

Jiu opened her mouth to protest but Siyeon was quick to cut her off, reading her mind.

‘No, you will not stitch them yourself. I’ll do it.’ 

She was right, she was too tired to even argue against her anymore. She leaned her head back, the tiredness had taken over her now that she was safe in her own room. Safe with Siyeon. It almost took her to sleep when the first stitch of needle woke her back up. 

‘Sorry.’ Lady Siyeon apologised, as Jiu hissed in pain.

It went on for some time, until Siyeon finished bandaging the dressed wound.

‘What happened, Jiu?’ She asked, voice gentle as a harp. Jiu had never seen Lady Siyeon loose honorifics with her before, especially not like this.

Sure, they were closer than the other trainees in the academy, and everyone knew Lady Siyeon always had a soft spot for Jiu. But things never progress anywhere beyond that.

Jiu thought of what to reply, thinking where to start. 

‘I don’t know. We were with the second district, and next thing I know, I’m running for my life.’

‘And the girl you brought?’ There was something in the way she asked that made Jiu wonder. She tried to shrug the topic off coolly.

‘Found her washed ashore.’

The both of them stared at each other, or it was more Siyeon staring at Jiu while Jiu herself tried to avert her gaze shyly. Suddenly, she felt insecure with herself, being so close to her, especially when she was clean and sweet-smelling while Jiu was a mess of sweat, leaves and dust. 

Siyeon looked down at last, her thumb gingerly stroking the bandaged area, and it was then that Jiu realised she hadn’t taken her hand off her in the first place.

The air between them tensed, as the two of them remained that way, neither of them knowing what to say or do.

Footsteps tapped on the floor near them, and a moment later the door knocked, then slid to a crack.

It was Lady Gahyeon, peeking in, a bit fazed at the situation she had walked upon. She cleared her throat, to speak or to break tension, Jiu didn’t know.

‘Sensei has asked for our presence. Would you like me to make a request that-’

‘No, I will be there. Will you wait for me?’ Jiu cut her off, maybe a little too eagerly. Lady Siyeon tried to hide her sadness, but her face had betrayed her already.

Whatever issues they have, she can deal with them later.

_____________________

The report back on their quest was a sure pain in the ass. Although Handong did most of the talking, Master Taiyo’s gaze always seem to be on her.

When the incident of the surprise attack was reported, he seemed unnerved by it. Almost like he knew it was bound to happen. 

Her anger she didn’t know she had in the first place got the better of her.

‘With all due respect, Master Taiyo, were you already aware of a possible attack?’ She said. 

Lady Handong stopped speaking, widened eyes upon her. 

‘Were you aware that someone else was going to try to take the seal, sensei?’ 

Clearly, Jiu’s personal closeness with the Master was not an excuse to misbehave, but she could no longer keep the bitterness in her voice hidden. 

To that, he only let out an exasperated sigh.

‘A warrior must be prepared for anything, even betrayal, Minji.’

He said her real name. And it was enough to tell her how serious he was. She said nothing after that, painfully sitting through the last of Lady Handong’s briefing.

When they were dismissed, she didn’t wait for them to take her to her room. And when she reached the hallways and saw Lady Siyeon lurking about, no doubt waiting for her, she didn’t let her.

Instead she limped over to the building across, feeling the wind of the trees on her face once again. That feeling of dread came, bit by bit and it didn’t leave again like she thought it would. Until she reached the healing quarters. 

Because for some godforsaken reason, seeing the stranger peacefully tucked in her bed, was reason enough to make her forget about everything else.

And she stayed there, even as the sun set and even as the moon shone bright, illuminating through the parchment on the doors.

She stayed there, waiting for her to wake up. 

Until the girl finally did.


	2. What a Time

Yoohyeon opened her eyes, vision blurring as she tried to move her head around. It felt dark enough to be evening although she wasn’t too sure as a small candlelight by her side lit the room into a warm dim.

It took some time for the dizziness to subside and before she could wonder where in the world she was or how the hell she ended up here, she saw a figure in the corner of the room. 

She stumbled backwards on instinct, her sudden movement breaking the silence of the quiet night but the stranger was quick to her feet, walking over to kneel in front of her. 

It was a girl. 

‘I’m not here to hurt you.’ She reassured, in the softest and sweetest voice possible.

Yoohyeon looked around the room, but there was nothing to see, and her eyes fell back on the girl in front of her. 

She got close enough for Yoohyeon to take in her features. The first thing that attracted her was her long purple hair that gleamed with the lantern light, a somewhat messy bang barely covering her forehead. 

It was both fascinating and odd to see such a bright colour, in contrast her own hair that was bleached blonde.

Her bright eyes observed her with concern and question, and her soft lips were saying something but she was too busy staring at them, wanting to wipe the red paint away from them, preferably with her own lips.

_What the hell was she thinking about?_

‘What is your name?’ She heard her say.

Yoohyeon thought about it for a moment. Was it safe to say her real name to this stranger?

The most beautiful stranger she had ever seen.

‘Yoo..Yoohyeon.’ She said it anyways, her brain not being able to make up a fake name.

‘Okay, Yoohyeon. You should rest. You must have lost a lot of blood.’ 

‘Blood?’

The girl’s eyes darted towards her forehead, and Yoohyeon’s hand reflexively went to touch it, hissing at the pain that came with it. The right side of her head felt like it had been stitched taut and the dull ache and the dizziness from when she woke suddenly came back.

‘What happened to me?’ She said, because it felt like the right question to ask.

The girl’s eyebrows creased up a little, and her lips curled, as if she was confused, and for some reason, her own heart raced at the expression.

‘I was hoping you would tell us. What do you remember, Yoohyeon?’ 

Hearing her say her name felt like music to her ears. This stranger, that she doesn’t even know the name of, speaks her name out and she was about to melt like snow atop a mountain on a hot day.

She strained to think hard, but her mind was a blank state. It was a surprise she even remembered who she was.

‘I, I don’t know.’ She spoke at last, still hesitant.

The girl sighed.

‘The healer was right. It will be some time before your memories come back.’ 

‘I know my name. That’s good right?’ She let out a nervous laugh.

‘We can talk to sensei tomorrow morning. He will know what to do.’

‘How did you find me?’ 

‘We found you, face down, at the base of the waterfall.’

‘When?’

‘Just this morning.’

‘And where am I now?’

‘The Seventh District.’ 

Yoohyeon’s jaw dropped. Despite not being able to remember anything about herself, she knew of the Seventh District. It was impossible for anyone not to know.

Among the districts across the country that trained warrior samurais and fighters alike, the Seventh was one of the powerful districts, if not the most powerful of them all.

It was only natural for someone as beautiful and gentle as the girl before her to be from there too. 

The location of the districts were reclusive with each other and the rest of the country, and she wondered how many miles she must’ve strayed off course to have stumbled into them, wherever she was from.

‘Is this a dream?’ She said, before she realised how foolish the question was.

A hint of a smile appeared across the girl’s lips. 

‘No, I don’t think so.’ 

Then something in her changed, the way she seemed to catch herself, and without giving Yoohyeon time to reply, the girl shook her head and stood up, the movement flickering the flames on the candle.

‘It is getting dark. I should go.’ 

Quietly, she opened the doors, the raw night air chilling her barely covered body. 

‘Wait!’ She cried, rushing to bring the blanket close to her chest.

The girl stopped, looking back at the tangle of blanket that was her.

‘If I could know your name?’ 

A long silence passed and for a moment Yoohyeon thought she was going to say nothing and leave. Then in the smallest of whispers, she replied.

‘It’s Jiu.’ 

The door slid close, and the warmth returned.

‘Nice to meet you, Jiu.’ She whispered back to the now empty room, hoping it would make her feel better.

It didn’t. She was still alone, confused and if not a little scared. She had heard of people losing their memories when they get serious head injuries, like being hit from the back, or during battle. It certainly didn’t feel good to be one of them now. 

What if she never gets them back? What if she spends the rest of her life wondering about it? 

Some part of her wanted to leave, wanted to escape, but it would be no good if she did. She didn’t know who she really was, or which clan she had come from, and she would have nowhere to go.

Her best chance was staying here to find answers for herself, and she would be lying if she said she didn't want to see the girl again. 

She looked down, and frowned. Her hand had been rubbing the small area on her chest, just below the neckline and she felt a sense of incompleteness in her. Like she was missing something. She should know what it was, yet she couldn’t think of anything, let alone anything useful.

Her head started to ache at her own process of thinking, almost begging her to go back to sleep. She spent some time staring at the shadows on the wall, dancing against the candle light.

Feeling like there was nothing to do than wait for the morning to come, she curled herself under the blankets, blew the candle light, and welcomed the darkness that spread through the room. 

She thought of the girl, Jiu, how she looked, how she talked to her, and grinned like an idiot at the thought of seeing her when morning comes, before her head felt heavy with tiredness and drifted off to sleep.

__________________________

Her excitement was shattered the next day when the doors slid open again and saw that it was not Jiu that entered the room. Although she was just as beautiful. 

Her red hair went just below her shoulders, its luster competing against the sun’s own. She held a bowl of water and what looked like a fresh pair of clothes underneath her arms.

‘You look better.’ She said, setting down the items beside her bed. 

Yoohyeon on the other hand, only stared at her, then at the items, and then back at her. 

The girl let out a shy laugh, and introduced herself.

‘I’m Handong, and Master Taiyo has ordered me to come get you.’ 

She took a look at her up and down, then added.

‘After you’re dressed and cleaned up, of course.’ 

Yoohyeon pulled the blankets closer to her, her cheeks flushing red.

‘I will be waiting outside. Please make it quick.’ She said and slid the doors shut to give her privacy.

After some time of Yoohyeon struggling to get used to the new piece of clothing she was asked to put on, especially the tight chest cloth, she followed the girl, finally having the chance to glimpse the seventh district for the first time.

It was breathtaking, and also organised. The floorboards were polished to a shine, and the trees and the bushes were trimmed perfectly, and what little wind there was carried the fresh scents of flowers planted all over the gardens.

The dojo itself was bustling with life, warriors and their teachers were training together, some having casual conversations with each other. Some of them would take a quick glance at her as they passed, but their eyes weren’t of a judgemental nature. It was just curiosity.

One thing she noticed was how her hair looked so different from pretty much everyone. While they had variations of dark brown, red or even black, but never blonde.

She felt like a stranger with them and was definitely not from around here. Although her sun-kissed complexion told her she must have spent a great part of her day outdoors.

The foreign looking scenery freshened her mind, a little bit of hope coming back to her, but she couldn’t find the girl she had been wishing to meet again. 

‘Where is Jiu?’ She asked, looking at a couple of young children playing chase.

‘That’s Lady Jiu for you.’ The girl corrected her.

‘I apologise.’ She bowed down, even though the girl had her back turned on her.

‘Is she a samurai?’ She asked again.

‘In training, like the rest of us here at the academy, but yes. She has been in training longer than most, and we look up to her like our older sister. So I hope you could treat her with the respect she deserves.’ 

‘Understood, Lady Handong.’ Yoohyeon replied impressively.

And before she could ask anymore questions, she was silenced as they reached the hallways, walking towards a door at the end of it.

‘Master Taiyo, it’s Handong.’ She bowed at the door.

‘Come in.’ A man’s voice from inside spoke.

Handong slid the doors open, and gestured for her to enter. To her own surprise, Yoohyeon felt nervous, but entered the room nonetheless.

It seemed her wish had been fulfilled but she wasn’t expecting it to be this way.

Jiu, Lady Jiu was kneeling in front, her head bowed down at the man before her. Sensing that she should do the same, she went a short distance near her and knelt in a similar position, bowing down at the man. 

‘State your name, young girl.’ The master spoke at her and her spine chilled. 

‘Kim Yoohyeon.’ She replied, sounding more confident than she actually felt.

‘I have been informed of your condition. What else do you know other than your name?’ 

Yoohyeon shook her head. 

‘I do not know.’ 

Beside her, Lady Jiu tensed, then she spoke quietly, head still bowed.

‘You are to address Master Taiyo with respect, Lady Yoohyeon.’ 

The girl from last night felt so much like a stranger next to the one in front of her, although they still shared the same soft tone in their voice. The sweetness was gone, replaced with entirely something else.

Yoohyeon was too occupied by everything else that she forgot that she was in the presence of the man that led the Seventh District, and although the mistake was slight, she had disrespected him.

She looked at the master, bracing for the scold she was sure to get, but he seemed unfazed by it, so Yoohyeon just bowed, if not to show that she, in fact, has some shred of respect for him.

‘Let it be, Jiu.’ 

‘I apologise, sensei.’ She said.

The master’s attention was now on her, accessing her up and down. Despite being called master and holding the highest position in the academy, he looked young, but old enough to have slight wrinkles on his face. Or maybe he just didn’t laugh that much.

‘What will happen now, Master Taiyo?’ Not being able to bear being stared at, she asked him, the act disappointing Jiu once more.

Jiu tensed again but Master Taiyo didn’t seem to have noticed it. He ignored it and to her surprise, answered her question.

‘Normally, we will let you go, but seeing as the country is still in civil unrest, and without knowing your true identity, it will not be safe for you to leave. However, this is an academy, not a mere travelling inn. It is a highly respected dojo, and we have to treat it as such.’ 

He looked at her, then at Lady Jiu.

‘What I am about to suggest, will be unusual, but if it plays out well, it will be good training for you, Jiu.’

Jiu looked up at her master, raising her head for the first time, but he wasn’t finished.

‘Both of you will engage in a duel, and depending on the outcome, the girl will either serve the dojo as a helper, or a trainee.’ 

Yoohyeon’s mind went blank at the declaration. How was she to fight Jiu, a samurai in training if she had no idea if she could even hold a sword right?

Jiu looked like she wanted to protest against the idea, but seeing from her previous interactions with the master, he knew she would not go against him. As expected, she simply bowed. 

‘As you wish, Master Taiyo.’

‘And you, young lady?’ He asked her. 

_Say no right now. Say it, Yoohyeon._

She told herself. Even though she knew it was beginning to look like a bad idea, she didn’t want to disappoint Jiu anymore.

Against her better judgement, she bowed her head down. 

‘I see. Then the duel is to commence in two hours. Both of you may leave and prepare yourselves.’ The master commanded, and dismissed the both of them.

She wondered if she had dug her own grave already. Hopefully she stays alive until the end of the day to find out.

_____________________ 

They stopped in front of the room, staring at each other, not knowing what to say. 

Lady Jiu was the first to speak, but she might as well just punch her in the stomach instead.

‘Lady Yoohyeon, you look better since last night.’ She said with the same soft tone, but the coldness was there.

Still, it was a relief knowing that she was speaking to her.

‘You can just call me Yoohyeon, you know?’ She offered.

‘I know. But I would rather not, and hope that you do too.’ 

Yoohyeon bowed, if only to hide the sadness on her face. 

‘If that is what you want, Lady Jiu.’ 

Then something struck her, a blurry memory slowly creeping out of her mind.

‘When he, I mean, when sensei said that the country was still in civil unrest, was he referring to the invasion of the Rogues from the Northern Hills?’

_How the hell she knew about it, Yoohyeon had no idea._

Jiu looked at her, eyes widening, but before she could betray any other emotion, she went back to her calm self.

‘How did you..your memories.’ She said, trailing off before she could complete the sentence.

‘Does everyone not know about it?’ Yoohyeon asked, genuinely surprised.

She gave a slight shake of her head.

‘Most of them knew of some invasion, but not about where they were from or even the nature of the invaders themselves.’

‘Most of them, as in?’ 

‘The common people.’

Yoohyeon nodded. The common people, ones that weren’t involved in warfare or martial arts.

‘I must have heard it somewhere else then.’ 

‘At least your memories are coming back.’ She replied, but Yoohyeon could tell that she was bothered by it.

Maybe Yoohyeon really did know something she shouldn’t. 

The air around them felt awkward, and even though Yoohyeon didn’t want them to stop their conversation, she didn’t know what to talk about.

‘Thank you, for saving me, yesterday.’ She said slowly, bowing again.

Jiu nodded, but her response was not something she had hoped to hear.

‘Someone will come to your room with your breakfast, I hope you can find the way back.’ With that she bowed and left, showing no emotion the way she did last night. 

Before she could leave, Yoohyeon called out. 

‘May I ask you a question?’ She said, sighing deeply afterwards.

The girl stopped walking then turned back to her, waiting for her question, but she couldn’t bring herself to ask it. She would only make her uncomfortable. 

‘I’m sorry. I just wanted to wish you good luck. For our match.’ She lied.

‘You too.’ She nodded and continued her walk.

As Yoohyeon tried to remember the way back to her room, she felt her heart tied into knots. 

_ How can something as small as a stranger’s coldness affect her this much?  _

_ And Why does she feel so hurt by it? _


	3. A Precious Basketcase/Some Kind of Disaster

-A Precious Basketcase- 

Mornings in the dojo were already overwhelming to Jiu even without a duel on her schedule. She walked over to the sword rack, and picked up a wooden sword, assessing it for any faults, but in reality, she was just trying to calm herself. 

Of course she was nervous, she knew very little of her opponent, let alone her abilities with a sword. She had to be prepared for anything that could happen. 

Some part of her wondered if a match was truly necessary, when there where many other ways to determine how skilled Yoohyeon was.

‘Lady Jiu.’ Someone called her from behind, brining her mind back to the training room. She’d recognize that voice anywhere. She turned around, confirming her guess.

‘Lady Siyeon.’ She replied, and bowed.

‘Is it true? That you are going to engage in a duel with the stranger?’ She asked, not wasting a second to get to the point.

Jiu nodded, her eyes meeting Siyeon’s, and they stayed there, close enough to speak without having to raise their voice, and it only made Jiu’s heart skip a beat.

She remembered the way Siyeon’s hands on her made her nerves tingle and to her surprise, she longed for the touch. 

‘Why do you ask, Lady Siyeon? Are you worried?’ She teased, playfully raising an eyebrow, if not to lighten the mood.

The girl returned a shy smile, face blushing a shade of red.

‘Something like that, yes.’

‘I will be fine. Do not worry.’ Jiu reassured her, despite what she was actually feeling.

The doors to the dojo opened and they both turned their heads towards the entrance.

A handful of people had already settled down, surrounding the large room, excited at the sudden change in their training routine. Their curiosity only peaked when they saw that Master Taiyo was the one that entered the room, followed by Lady Yoohyeon herself. 

Her silver blonde hair stood out among the other trainees, and the way she moved freely. She looked around, interested in the students the same way they were at her. 

The trainees maintained their composure and bowed, waiting for their master to make the announcement. Siyeon returned to her place, giving a one last smile at Jiu.

‘I wish you good luck.’ She whispered before leaving.

Jiu found herself smiling back, her fear disappearing for a moment. 

The rumors of the match were confirmed when Master Taiyo finally announced it, only raising the question as to why it was occurring, which he didn’t explain further. But the students were used to the random announcements anyways. 

Jiu walked to the centre of the room as her name was called out. She assessed her surroundings. The large room was wide enough to give them space without harming the spectators who sat a few feet away from the margin.

Yoohyeon was given a similar wooden sword, staring at it in blankly. She looked miserable and confused, it almost made Jiu regret agreeing to the duel. 

_ This is not the time to back out, Jiu. Just be done with it. _

Jiu thought, shaking her head displeasingly.

They bowed, paying their respects before the match.

Master Taiyo took one last look at them and signaled the gong to be struck.

The loud sound echoed through the air and everything else around them fell silent. 

Jiu’s heart quickene but she firmly grasped the sword in her hand and paced toward her opponent, the sound of her footsteps tapping against the floorboard. 

She was the first one to advance, twisting her sword forward in an arc.

A cracking _ Thud. _

Wood hitting wood.

Yoohyeon struggled, pushing against Jiu’s sword with her own. Their eyes locked, swords battling for dominance, inches near their faces.

Jiu retreated, stepping back, and swung her sword again, not giving Yoohyeon the time to regain her posture.

She swung the sword left and right, waiting for an opening, for any chance she could use against. Yoohyeon tried to block the attacks, to no use, as the last blow threw her off balance and off her feet.

Jiu hesitated for a moment. 

_ Was it going to end just like this? _

Yoohyeon froze in place as Jiu closed the small distance between them. The adrenaline she had was gone, the ache in her leg reminding her of her recent injury.

_ Aim the sword at her neck, Jiu, and it’ll all be over. As fast as it started. _

She looked down, contemplating, and it was then that Jiu noticed the change in her opponent’s eyes. There was uncertainty, and there was also something else. 

She brought the sword down but before it could reach Yoohyeon’s neck, it was met with a familiar sounding  _ Thud _

Her hesitation had made the fight to be far from over.

Yoohyeon swung the sword upwards, dragging Jiu’s sword away from her face, and got up.

Her stance changed, as she swung the sword in wild arcs and patterns. 

Jiu retreated again, breathing heavily.

From the corner of her eyes, she saw Master Taiyo sitting up straighter.

_ He must have recognized it too. _

At first glance, it looked like Yoohyeon was swinging recklessly, but on closer look, it was a form of strategy, a form of art.

The stance. The way she kept swinging the sword, leaving no area for Jiu to attack.

It was hard to tell, but it was there. 

Yoohyeon had a different style to wielding the sword and her defense in a way Jiu had never seen before.

She finally understood. Not being able to remember the past was one thing. You did not need to remember how to hold a sword. Even if you cannot remember it, it will be there, unlike the memories. 

Memories were just memories. These were reflexes and reflexes played a great part in sword fighting.

And the fight must have triggered her ability somehow.

It was as if the body remembered even though the head was unable to.

The floorboards creaked as Yoohyeon ran several paces ahead and leapt, time seemed to slow down as she did, Jiu barely having enough time to bring her own sword forward. 

The spectators were shocked at the sudden reversal of events, exchanging looks of confusion with each other.

Whatever style she was fighting with, it was effective and Yoohyeon was not holding back.

It was a bold and obvious strategy, hitting repeatedly, but it had seemed to worked. Jiu blocked the swings and dodged when she couldn’t. 

Yoohyeon swung the sword in a violent arc, knocking the sword out of Jiu’s hands, hitting the wall behind her.

The force was enough to make her drop to her knees, leaving her with nothing but her own hands to defend.

Normally, the fight would be over but their fight was anything but normal.

Yoohyeon was anything but normal.

Feeling frustrated with herself, Jiu slammed her fist against the floor, her anger getting the better of her.

Yoohyeon advanced with fire in her eyes as Jiu got up and retreated, trying to think of a swordless defense.

The next time the sword came, Jiu’s hand gripped Yoohyeon’s hand that was on the wooden hilt, and the sword stopped swinging midway.

Having nothing else to do, she shouldered Yoohyeon in the chest, shoving her back, but the reality played out a bit different than Jiu had expected.

In the split second that she was about to fall, Yoohyeon used the momentum to grab the collar of Jiu’s clothing with her other hand, the slight tear of the fabric the last thing she heard before she fell.

Jiu didn’t know how it had happened but it was her head that hit the hard floor, the impact darkening her vision and making her ears ring.

She let out a painful grunt as the stitches on her thigh pulled apart, feeling the warm blood ooze out onto the bandage.

The sword had clattered a few feet away, and out of reach. Yoohyeon was on top of her, breathing hard, and staring at her. Sweat trickled from the side of her face.

She could only stare back but the fire in Yoohyeon’s eyes was gone, replaced by softness, and..worry.

Jiu’s heart beat loudly against her chest, and in a panic, she took the opportunity to attack.

Her hand gripped Yoohyeon’s neck gently and stretched out, pushing the girl backwards.

After a moment, the gong was struck again, indicating that their fight was over.

But nobody moved, as they stared at the two girls, on top of each other, spread across the floor.

Jiu breathed hard, feeling the rhythmic pulse of Yoohyeon’s neck beating against her fingers. 

In a sudden movement, the students got up and walked over to check on them and it was only then that she let go of her hand.

Several of them pulled Yoohyeon’s body off Jiu’s own, breaking their long eye contact.

They had never witnessed this kind of situation before and it was obvious that they didn’t know what to do.

Lady Siyeon came to her side, asking if she was okay as she helped her up. 

She gave a weak nod, although it was also obvious that she was not okay. 

Somehow she had won, but she couldn’t help but feel defeated, and betrayed.

Even though it was her hand that had been on Yooheyon’s neck, she was not satisfied with the way she had ended the match.

It didn’t feel victorious to her at all.

Whoever Yoohyeon was, she had to have been well-trained, even if the girl herself was unaware of the fact.

The students returned to their places as the two of them went to the centre of the room, where Master Taiyo was.

They bowed in unison, waiting for him to make his decision, whatever it was.

‘I have to say, I am impressed.’ He nodded approvingly.

‘Jiu, you have finally proved to me that you are worthy of participating in the upcoming Swordsman Challenge.’

Jiu bowed again.

‘I will try my best, sensei.’

He turned his attention towards Yoohyeon, but didn’t speak immediately, and instead assessed her with a stern gaze as if trying to decide what to do with her.

‘It has come to my attention that you are quite skilled in using the sword, although your methods are…different from the style we are familiar with.’

He waited for Yoohyeon to reply, in case she had something to say, and when she didn’t he continued.

‘I will be sending word to the other districts, informing of your presence and your sword style, and hopefully they will be able to recognise it and help you in identifying who you are. In the meantime, you are to train here, along with my students.’

He turned to Jiu again. 

‘Jiu, you are the one that found her. You will be the one that trains her, and and will be your responsibility from now on.’

Despite Yoohyeon losing the duel, Jiu had expected Master Taiyo to keep her as a trainee, but she was not expecting herself to be the one to train her.

‘Yoohyeon, I expect you to behave and make our dojo proud for the time that you are here.’

He spared no time for any response that was to come as he stood up and left the students to begin their training with the remaining time.

‘And remember,’ he said, before leaving the room. 

‘Regardless of the outcome of a match, it is improper of a warrior to hold a grudge.’

Even though it looked like his words were intended for Yoohyeon since she had lost the match, Jiu knew that he had meant for her. 

And she hated that he knew her feelings that well, despite how true they were.

-Some Kind of Disaster-

Sweat poured down the sides of Yoohyeon’s face and on her back as she tried to control her heavy breathing. She felt hot underneath the clothes now that her nerves had finally settled down.

Once Master Taiyo left the room, the students became more at ease, talking to each other as they moved around the room, waiting for their sensei.

Beside her, Jiu looked straight ahead, staring blankly at the door.

‘Are you okay, Lady Jiu?’ She asked, and it seemed to snap her out of her thoughts.

It took her a moment to answer, but when she did, she simply nodded.

‘I’m sorry that I..’ Yoohyeon began, not really knowing what to apologize for.

Was she sorry that she violently lashed out on her with the wooden sword, or that even when she had knocked the sword out of her hand still proceeded to attack, or that she when she fell she pulled her down and stumbled on top of her?

Whatever she had decided to apologize for, she didn’t get a chance to say as several of the students came over to them.

‘Are you going to introduce us to your friend, Jiu?’ One of them asked, smiling playfully.

Yoohyeon didn’t know if she was joking or being genuine, considering the fact that their names had been announced before their match.

Jiu’s eyes traced from the girl to Yoohyeon, then back at the girl. 

The girl didn’t wait for Jiu’s response, as she gave a respectful nod of her head and introduced herself.

‘I’m Lady Bora, but you can call me Sua.’ 

Yoohyeon found herself staring at her long wavy brown hair. She has yet to see two different people with the same hair color in this dojo.

‘Yoohyeon. Kim Yoohyeon.’ 

‘This is Lady Yubin, but she goes by Dami.’ Sua introduced to her friend, who had her deep blue hair in a somewhat long bob.

Dami gave a short wave of her hand, and smiled at her. 

Yoohyeon knew calling with honorifics was the proper thing to do, but the girls seemed so friendly to her that she felt bad to not do as told.

‘Sua and Dami, are they nicknames?’

‘Something like that, yes.’ Dami replied.

‘Does Lady Jiu have a nickname too?’ She asked, her eyes going back to Jiu, hoping she wouldn’t cross any lines.

But someone else had answered the question for her.

‘That is her nickname, but I’m guessing she still wouldn’t let you call her simply that.’ 

Whoever this girl was, she had to have been really close with Jiu to joke around like that and when Jiu actually smiled back at the girl, Yoohyeon was surprised. 

_ It must be some kind of accomplishment to make Lady Jiu smile. _

Yoohyeon thought, almost feeling jealous.

The girl held her hand out, and introduced herself. 

‘I’m Siyeon. Lee Siyeon.’ 

‘Yoohyeon. Kim Yoohyeon.’ She said again.

‘We have one vacant room in our living quarter, you can stay with us, if it is fine with Jiu.’ She asked, her eyes trailing over to Jiu.

‘I was thinking the same too.’ Jiu said, nodding casually.

‘Me, Dami and Handong live on the second floor, have you met Handong?’ Sua asked her.

Yoohyeon nodded, remembering the red-haired girl from the morning.

‘There’s also Gahyeon who lives on the first floor with us but she’s currently on a mission right now, but don’t worry, you will definitely know when she’s here.’ 

Siyeon winked at her, smiling.

Yoohyeon had never met people as warming and friendly as the students of the Seventh district, but then again, she had nothing to compare them with.

If only Jiu would be half as friendly to her as they were. 

___________________ 

The girls returned to their training, leaving Yoohyeon some time for herself as she cleaned herself up near the well outside.

Buildings and houses were far enough from each other that it took some time for her to navigate through the district.

The cool water felt refreshing on her face, and the slight breeze passed through the area, drying the sweat on her body. She stared at the water in the bucket, but her thoughts were still at the training room.

Although she kept telling herself that whatever happened during the match, it was adrenaline, and maybe a bit of luck, she knew it had to be more than that.

Her mind had no control of what her body was doing, and it just happened. Was she really capable of hurting someone more than she had led to believe?

The look in Jiu’s eyes, the way she fought back, the way she defended Yoohyeon’s sudden outburst of skills. If it wasn't Jiu fighting in her place, could she have actually hurt them? Was she a dangerous person, only she wasn't aware of it?

She found herself grunting and mumbling at the water in frustration, when a shadow loomed over her. 

She turned around and sat up, embarrassed at the possibility that the person might have seen her talking to a well.

‘You okay there?’ The girl asked, an amusing tone in her voice.

‘Sorry, I was just..talking to myself.’ She let out a shy laugh.

The girl had light pink hair, and such wide eyes, her round face making her features childlike. 

‘At least you look better since last night.’

Yoohyeon blinked, trying to figure out how she could have known her.

‘Were you one of the students that found me?’ She asked.

The girl nodded. ‘Yes. You bled all over my clothes.’ She said, smiling again.

The two of them shared a laugh.

‘I’m Gahyeon. Lee Gahyeon.’

‘Yoohyeon. Kim Yoohyeon.’ She said, introducing herself for the third time today.

So this was the Gahyeon the girls were talking about. 

_ You will definitely know when she’s here.  _

Siyeon had said, and Yoohyeon understood then.

Gahyeon had a playful aura around her, and Yoohyeon felt comfortable talking to her.

‘How was your mission?’

Gahyeon shrugged, and if she was surprised by the fact that Yoohyeon knew about it, she didn’t show.

‘Meh. I guess was okay.’ 

For the next 10 minutes or so, the two of them walked side by side, Yoohyeon listening to Gahyeon talk about her mission, and before long, they had reached in front of a large double-storey house.

Gahyeon had brought them to the house Yoohyeon was going to live in, without her intentions.

She finally realised what she had done and her jaw dropped, eyes suddenly widening as she bowed apologetically, face blushing.

‘What have I done? I’m so sorry. I had been talking too much I didn’t notice I brought you to where I was going.’

Yoohyeon shook her head in protest, trying to hide her enjoyment in the girl’s panic.

This girl was effortlessly adorable and funny. 

‘It’s okay, Gahyeon. I wanted to know about your mission, anyways.’

The both of them were a mess, standing in front of the house, with Gahyeon repetitively bowing and Yoohyeon stopping her from doing that while also trying to contain her laughter.

‘Lady Gahyeon, is that you?’ Someone from inside spoke. 

They looked up as Jiu walked over to the boarded veranda of their house.

‘Lady Jiu.’ Gahyeon bowed.

‘I didn’t mean to…’ She tried to explain, but Jiu had started speaking.

‘I see you brought Lady Yoohyeon to her house.’

Gahyeon looked from Yoohyeon, then to Jiu.

‘I did?’

‘I have been trying to tell you that, Lady Gahyeon.’ Yoohyeon reassured her.

A second passed and Gahyeon let out a breath.

‘Ah, what a relief.’

Gahyeon was definitely a handful as she got up to where Jiu was and started telling her about all kinds of things she had seen during the mission and how she met Yoohyeon.

Jiu listened patiently, staring lovingly at the girl.

This was a new side to Jiu that she was seeing, so care-free and happy.

It was almost hard to believe that it was the same person that had fought so fiercely against her this morning.

They entered the house and stood in the common hallway, Gahyeon opening the doors to what must have been her own room.

‘How is your injury, Jiu?’ She asked, half way into the room.

‘Injury?’ Yoohyeon asked, hearing about it for the first time.

‘It’s better now, Gahyeon.’ Jiu answered, not meeting their eyes.

Gahyeon looked like she was unconvinced but she didn’t push any further.

‘Well, I’m tired. I’m going to lie down for a while.’ With that, she went inside and slid the doors close, leaving the two of them in the quiet hallway, reminding Yoohyeon of the similar moment they had this morning.

So much had happened in the last few hours that this morning felt like a long time ago.

‘She’s very cute.’ Yoohyeon said, breaking their awkward silence.

‘She’s younger than most of us.’ 

Jiu began to walk, and it was only then that Yoohyeon noticed a slight limp in her gait.

‘Did I hurt you, Lady Jiu?’ She asked.

Jiu shook her head.

‘Of course not, Lady Yoohyeon. It was from a mission.’

‘Oh..are you okay now?'

‘I’ve had it worse.’ Jiu shrugged.

Yoohyeon frowned without meaning to.

‘You should have told Master Taiyo about it. Maybe we could’ve held off our match.’

Jiu stopped and looked back at her, but she shook her head again. 

‘Here’s the room you will be staying. We can start our training tomorrow.’

‘Lady Jiu.’ Yoohyeon said, completing ignoring what the girl was saying.

‘You can choose not to, if you don’t want to. The last thing I want to be is be a bother to you.’

Jiu remained quiet, only staring back at her. 

Yoohyeon was probably thinking too much, but if she didn’t say it now, she would not be able to say it later.

‘It’s just like sensei said. I found you. I’m your responsibility. It is how things are here.’

_ I don’t know how things worked for you before. _

Yoohyeon knew the implication even without Jiu saying it out loud.

She felt a pang of hurt in her chest. She had disappointed her once more. And it was more frustrating because she doesn’t know what to do make the situation better.

Finally admitting her defeat, she slid the doors to her new room, but before she entered, Jiu called out.

‘You’re not a bother to me, you know.’

______________ 

Yoohyeon’s new room was cozy, and large enough to store all of her things, if she had any belongings to store.

She didn’t take the mattress out from the closet as she lied down on the cold hard floor, staring at the empty ceiling that was staring back at her.

Many emotions ran through her head, most of them felt hollow, and strange.

_ Am I ever going to know who I truly am? _

She told herself that the only thing she could do was wait, and hope that the memories will come back to her one day. 

In the meantime, something else was troubling her.

Why was Jiu’s approval so important to her? Was this some way of telling her that saving Yoohyeon was not a total waste of time and energy?

She couldn’t understand it. She couldn’t understand her own frustration.

Despite their closeness with each other, Yoohyeon was far from being friends with her. 

They were strangers. 

Yoohyeon was a stranger. 

She was an outsider. 

_ You’re not a bother to me, you know. _ __

She kept replaying the words in her head, and telling to herself that she was being dramatic, having nothing to do better than this.

She didn’t know when she had closed her eyes, or when she began to feel tired just to stay awake. 

‘Why are you making me feel this way, Jiu?’ She slurred before sleep finally claimed her.

_________________ 

Jiu sat in the middle of her room, knees pulled up against her chest, staring at the wall that was staring back at her.

She was tired, drained of all of her energy, but she couldn’t stop thinking about her interactions with Yoohyeon. The girl was truly one of a kind. 

All her life, she had been a polite, obedient child, who never questioned anything and who accepted what was being told as it is. 

Yoohyeon, on the other hand, looked like the type that would have no problem speaking up for herself when she knows she was being forced to do something she did not like. 

She felt sorry that she had hurt Yoohyeon in some kind of way. She didn’t know how, but she had. Yoohyeon was just trying to help her, offering that Jiu didn’t really need to train her, and she took it the wrong way.

She sat up immediately, and walked towards the end of the hallway, where Yoohyeon’s room was.

_ You’re out of your mind, Kim Minji. _

Despite the hammering of her chest, and the logical part of her head telling her that this was a very bad idea, she raised her hand to knock.

But before her fist could make contact with the parchment, the door slid open, and an equally stunned face of Yoohyeon came into view.

‘Jiu, I, I figured it out!’

There was a mix of emotions on her face, Jiu had a hard time deciding if it was going to be good or bad. 

‘I remember how I ended up at the waterfall.’

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Despite how the story's starting to become, it won't be all angst. XD


	4. Mind Is A Prison

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Two things before we proceed. 
> 
> One - I am all over the place with the honorifics and the name-addressing, so I apologize.
> 
> Two – I changed the pacing and prose because writer’s block is being a PITA.
> 
> You can read now. XD

‘So you’re saying you jumped off the cliff?’

‘For the hundredth time, Gahyeon, yes.’ 

Yoohyeon leaned back against the wall. Jiu was quiet the whole time the other two girls went back and forth with their questions, hugging her knees against her chest.

They were huddled together in Yoohyeon’s room, the bang of Yoohyeon opening the door waking Gahyeon up from her nap, so naturally, she came inside to investigate.

According to her memories, she remembered that she was running because some men were chasing her and next thing she knew, she had jumped.

It was a miracle she survived the fall, considering the height and the rocks below. She just couldn’t figure out why anyone would intentionally jump to what could have been their death, unless-

‘Yoohyeon-shi.’ She spoke, casting a wary glance at them.

‘You knew about the invasions, could there be a chance that you found out about them, and maybe the rogues were the ones chasing you?’ 

It was a blunt assumption, but the only thing she could think of that would make sense.

‘So you jumped off a cliff?’ Gahyeon asked, still not believing the fact. 

Yoohyeon shook her head in frustration, and got up to leave.

‘I don’t know why, but I remember it was because I had something with me, and now I don’t have it.’ 

Jiu stood up and without thinking straight, grabbed Yoohyeon’s arm to stop her. 

‘Where are you going?’ She asked, needlessly loud.

‘I’m going to the waterfalls.’ 

‘No. you’re not. It’s not safe for you.’

‘I’ll be fine.’ 

‘There are people who want you dead, and you’re telling me you’ll be fine?’

Yoohyeon didn’t reply this time, instead her eyes went down to their entwined hands. Jiu let go of it, her cheeks getting warm in embarrassment.

‘Let’s think this through, before we do something hasty.’ She said again.

Gahyeon cleared her throat and quickly stepped out of the room to leave them alone but the last thing the both of them needed was some alone time. 

‘I have to know; I need to know.’ Yoohyeon spoke so softly that Jiu barely heard her. 

‘Then we’ll go together, but not today, it will get dark by the time we get there.’ 

Yoohyeon glanced up at her with doleful eyes.

‘Promise me you won’t do anything reckless before then.’

They’ve known each other for less than two days, yet Jiu felt the need to add that last sentence, knowing it was exactly the kind of thing Yoohyeon was capable of doing.

She couldn’t give any great comfort, nor could she imagine being in her situation, but at least she could prevent Yoohyeon from doing something that might endanger her.

The next few days that passed were uneventful. They trained together, ate together. It became quite the normal thing for Yoohyeon to keep following Jiu around even if they weren’t training or eating, and Jiu didn’t mind when she got to keep an eye on Yoohyeon this way.

The air between them was strained, but they tried their best to be friendly to each other. Neither of them brought out the topic of the waterfall ever since that afternoon. 

Yoohyeon didn’t prod her into the idea of going there and Jiu was glad for it, although she could sense the girl’s frustration growing day by day. 

Then that afternoon after lunch, instead of heading to the training dojo like they had been doing, Jiu led Yoohyeon to the clear field beyond the buildings, where the other girls were waiting, setting up straw dummies all across the wide field.

‘What are we doing today?’ Yoohyeon asked, her first time seeing their archery ground.

‘Will shooting imaginary people with an arrow cheer you up?’

‘Yes.’ Yoohyeon said immediately and a smile spread across her face.

___________________

It turned out that Yoohyeon sucked at archery, but she was still allowed to practice when their real training was over. 

None of the arrows she had shot out hit anywhere close to the marks but the girls were patient to teach her the proper methods.

She just sucked at it.

At least the time spent with the girls took her mind off things.

An arrow whisked past her, hitting the chest of the straw figure. She scratched her own chest, as if she could actually feel the pain.

‘This will remind me not to piss anyone of you off.’ She said, turning her head to see who had shot it.

It was Dami, drawing up another arrow.

She moved away from the possible danger, and looked up, squinting into the clouds. 

_Then we’ll go together._

Jiu had never talked like this to her since the first night she woke up, and it was hard to know what her true feelings towards Yoohyeon really was.

One moment she was cold, the next she’s holding her hand worrying about her well-being. These past days, they’ve been distant and close at the same time.

Yoohyeon couldn’t blame her. She was grateful enough that they had decided to take her in, even though they knew the risk they were taking.

Allowing an outsider to stay, let alone train in a well-respected training district was already rule breaking. The master knew the risk he was taking, Jiu knew the risk she was taking. 

And she was not going to be stupid enough to repay their kindness by breaking the promise she had given them.

‘You can never guess the weather here.’ Someone said from beside her.

It was Lady Siyeon, thinking it was what Yoohyeon was wondering about. 

‘I don’t mind rain, or the sun. I like it either way.’ 

‘Siyeon, I mean, Lady Siyeon, may I ask you something?’ 

The girl laughed, confusing Yoohyeon.

‘You don’t have to add honorifics with me. It’s fine to call me by just Siyeon.’ 

Yoohyeon creased her eyebrows.

‘I thought it was the regulation here.’ 

‘Yes, but we live in the same house now, and the girls are pretty much close to each other, although I don’t suggest dropping them when Master Taiyo or the others are around.’ Lady Siyeon, no, Siyeon shrugged.

‘And Lady Jiu?’ 

‘She’s like that with strangers.’ 

_Strangers._ That hurt more than she thought it would.

‘But, you’re not a stranger to her, Siyeon.’ 

‘More or less. You have to understand her. She’s not-‘ 

Siyeon shook her head and sighed.

‘I apologize. It’s not my place to say.’ 

Yoohyeon simply nodded, wondering what the hell just happened.

They both turned their gaze toward Jiu, who had disappeared since their training had finished, after making Yoohyeon promise not to wander off.

She wanted to ask where she had gone, but decided not to push.

‘Are you alright, Lady Jiu?’ Siyeon asked her. 

Jiu nodded, giving them a weak smile. 

‘I went to Master Taiyo. To request for permission.’ 

‘Permission for?’ Yoohyeon asked, but of course she already knew. 

‘You and me. We leave tomorrow morning.’ 

________________

Jiu was almost to her room when Siyeon caught up to her from behind, grabbing her by her arm.

‘Please tell me you’re not being serious.’ There was worry and concern in her tone as she anxiously waited for her to reply.

‘I’m being serious, Siyeon-shi.’ 

Yoohyeon had stayed with the rest of the girls, she must have noticed the tension rise between her and Siyeon when Jiu broke the news to them.

‘Do you know what you’re doing, Jiu? You’re putting yourself in danger.’

‘Wouldn’t you want to know if you were in her place?’

Siyeon sighed, and looked around at the empty house. 

‘Of course I would, and even if I wasn’t in her place, I would help her the same, but, this is about you.’

Jiu looked at her, wondering where she was going with it.

‘I know you tried so hard to forget it, but I haven’t. This is about who you are, who you really are.’

‘No, not here. I told you to not talk about it. You promised me you wouldn't talk about it.'

Out of all the things she could’ve said, it had to be this.

‘At least let me come with you. An extra pair of eyes and ears.’ 

‘I can’t let you do that.’

‘Why not?’

‘Don’t do this, please.’

‘Do what? Be concerned for you?’

Jiu has tried so hard to ignore the feelings she had for the girl, and this was definitely not helping her do that. 

Her heart has no control when it comes to Siyeon. And it had taken her such a long time to realise it. And Jiu thinks she knows it too. Even though they never said it to each other, they knew.

Siyeon moved a step closer, and her heart skipped. 

‘Is it wrong of me to care about you?’ She said when Jiu didn’t reply.

 _What is this feeling of heaviness and dread?_ Jiu thought, closing her eyes.

‘How could you care about someone like me? Even when you know who I really am, even when I push everyone away, someone who doesn’t even-’

She never got to finish her sentence as Siyeon’s lips crashed into her own. 

Jiu's mind went blank, her breath caught in her throat. Siyeon gave her no time to react as she broke away, placing her hands on Jiu’s shoulders.

‘Would that answer your question?’ 

As much as she didn’t want to admit, it did.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Wondering what Siyeon was talking about? Guess you gotta wait XD. 
> 
> Anyways, SINGJI NATION RISE.


	5. Bad Kind Of Butterflies/All Is Not Lost

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry it took me a while, the one was particularly hard to edit for some reason. 
> 
> But it's here now. Enjoy XD

-Bad Kind Of Butterflies-

The morning sun gleamed through the gap in the trees, exposing the glittering bits of dust where they hung in the air. Jiu walked along the worn-out path in the dense forest floor, listening to the constant humming and chirping of the birds that flew overhead, some of them resting idly on the tree branches. 

Yoohyeon trailed a few feet behind her, swinging around a tree stick she picked up somewhere along their walk, playfully hitting them against the tree trunks as they passed.

There were times when the clouds separated and the sun beamed brighter, forcing Jiu to squint her eyes and shield them with her hand.

_Hopefully, it’ll be cloudy by the time we go back._

Still, it wasn’t the weather that was bothering her. It was everything else. She couldn’t help but wonder how this could be a bad idea or the possibility of their trip going sideways. The look of worry on Siyeon’s face as they parted ways to leave the dojo that morning almost made her want to turn back.

The two of them have been avoiding each other since they kissed in the hallway, and part of her was grateful that she wouldn’t be seeing her again till dinner or until late at night.

The heat that rose in her body whenever she remembers their kiss was just as hot as the weather that surrounded her.

So many feelings between them had gone unchecked, yet Jiu had neither the time nor the energy to spare at the moment.

‘Now I feel bad for Handong.’ Yoohyeon said out of nowhere.

‘Hmm?’ Jiu glanced back, wondering if she had missed all of what Yoohyeon was saying.

‘She carried me the whole way back to the dojo, and I don’t even know how far we are still from where you found me.’ 

Jiu hadn’t really considered the distance between the waterfall and their dojo at the time, but now that she had thought about, it seemed further than she had expected. 

‘I supposed we were focused on getting you to safety, we didn’t really think too much about it.’

As they walked, the sounds of water crashing against rocks started to become audible. The waves were faint, but they knew it was near. 

‘We’re almost there.’ Jiu said while Yoohyeon continued hitting the trees with the stick, the last motion breaking it with a slight crack. 

It seemed all her attention went to the broken piece, as she stared at it in disappointment, the same way a young child would look at their broken toy.

Jiu turned away to the front, if not to hide her amusement at the scene. 

‘Lady Jiu-shi.’ Yoohyeon called after her, footsteps closing in as she tried to catch up with Jiu’s pace.

‘If you don’t mind me asking, how did you convince sensei to give us permission to come here?’ 

‘What do you mean?’ 

‘It’s just, he’s pretty strict with the rules and all, and I didn’t expect him to agree to our risky…outing.’

‘So you admit that it’s risky?’ 

‘I’m realising it now.’

Jiu bent down, picking up a similar stick nearby and handed it to Yoohyeon.

‘Well, it definitely took some time, but I told him it was important to you and I had sworn to him that we’d be careful, and he’d accepted.’

‘Still, it seems he trusts me enough to be left alone with you.’

‘He knows I can take care of myself.’ Jiu said.

There was more she wanted to say, but Jiu decided to keep them to herself.

Though she wasn’t expecting to find anything useful once they got there, since the weather and the days that passed must have washed away whatever Yoohyeon might be looking for. 

Yet, she also knew that the human mind works in mysterious ways, and if there was even a small chance that Yoohyeon might remember something on seeing it, Jiu wanted her to find it.

She had read in a book that claimed we remember something because we are remembering the last time that we had remembered it. She had hoped that if she took Yoohyeon to someplace she might be familiar with, it could bring back her memories. 

It was a long and far-fetched shot, but it was the best they had.

They reached the site shortly after, grateful for the cool water and the shade the cliffs had provided.

Jiu washed herself up, then rested against a rocky boulder to watch Yoohyeon closely, anticipating any kind of recognition she might show.

The girl did her own thing, as she walked around the area, occasionally closing her eyes to feel the air, or she would sit down and look up at the waterfall.

The process went on for several more minutes and soon it was evident that nothing was to come.

Jiu tried to hide her own disappointment as Yoohyeon lazily strode over to where she was, with a look of defeat in her eyes.

‘I don’t even know what I’m doing.’ She sighed, her hand reflexively reaching up to rub that small area on her chest, a habit Jiu has been noticing.

A chill wind cut through the atmosphere, and the leaves on the ground blew away along with it. They felt calm and cool for a moment and together, looked out to the other side of the river, seemingly lost in their own thoughts.

‘We still have the letters from the other districts. They might know something.’ Jiu reassured, not only to Yoohyeon but also to herself.

Then she turned her head to face the girl.

‘I’m sorry, Yoohyeon. I know coming here means a lot to you, and-’

‘Why are you apologizing? If anything, I’m the one who should be apologizing. I dragged you along with me.’

Jiu shook her head.

‘Don’t say it.’ Yoohyeon said even before she was about to begin.

‘What?’ 

‘I know what you’re going to say, so don’t.’

 _It’s my responsibility, you’re my responsibility,_ was what she was going to say. Somehow Yoohyeon already knew, so instead, she just looked away.

_What great comfort could Jiu possibly give right now? She was just as helpless as the other girl._

Still, she hoped for a sign, wished for any sign that might have given them a clue to know what they needed, or they should do next. 

Unfortunately for them, that sign came in the forms of footsteps. 

Loud, heavy footsteps, followed by voices of men.

Jiu sat up straight, straining her ears to listen. It could just be random travellers going back and forth with their businesses, coming over to the waterfalls to take a rest and clean up. 

The sounds disappeared as fast as they came, almost making her think she had imagined it, but one look at Yoohyeon told her she hadn’t imagined it at all. 

‘Do you hear that?’ Yoohyeon asked, but before Jiu could answer, the footsteps appeared again, this time closer.

She motioned for Yoohyeon to follow and hid in the shadows, silently waiting for the owners of the footsteps to show themselves.

When they did, it was nothing like Jiu had expected. They were an odd-looking group of people, wearing none of the known district colors or crests but a blend of blue or the commoner’s brown outfits, and they were arguing loudly.

‘We’ve been coming here for a whole week, and it’s the same every day. I’ve told you many times, she might have gone someplace else.’

One of them said to the other, while they went and searched around the places where Jiu and Yoohyeon had been not long ago.

‘I have a feeling she’s around here somewhere, okay? So just shut up and do your job.’ The men, who seemed to be the one in charge, replied.

_All the time I had wished for a sign, had it been this?_

Yoohyeon turned away from the group to meet Jiu’s gaze. It seems they were wondering the same thing.

_Could they be possibly talking about Yoohyeon?_

Somehow the assumption seems to fit, but it only meant either of two things. Were they looking for her because they wanted to help her or because they wanted to finish what they had started?

‘Let’s just walk the trail one last time and leave.’ The first guy sighed, coming closer to where they were hiding near the trees.

Jiu pushed herself against the tree and held her breath, internally praying he wouldn’t notice the two of them.

‘All this trouble for a stupid cat.’ He mumbled under his breath.

Jiu wasn’t sure if she had heard him right. 

_Cat? Is that supposed to be some sort of secret code?_

She was too occupied trying to stay still that she didn’t notice Yoohyeon staring at her.

‘What?’ She whispered, but Yoohyeon’s attention wasn’t really on her.

It was on the fluffy creature wandering around Jiu’s shoes, purring softly.

_A Cat._

As if it knew she was staring at it, the cat in question looked up and meowed. Jiu would have found the sound adorable if it hadn’t brought the men’s attention to them.

Jiu stepped back, not really sure at what she should do at that point.

‘Hey! That’s the cat!’

Everyone started running at the same time, shouting and screaming like some madmen that it was hard to believe they were chasing after a small grey cat.

Yoohyeon grabbed Jiu, pulling her forward.

‘Jiu-shi, run!’ 

Jiu had no other choice but to do as told, and ran alongside, wondering why they were still being chased, only to realise Yoohyeon had brought the cat along with her.

‘Why the hell did you bring the cat with you!?!’ She shouted over the chaos of men behind.

‘They look like they want to kill us!’ She answered back, still not letting it go, holding the cat under its arms.

‘They just want the cat!’

‘Well I’m not giving them the cat!’

Jiu didn’t know why they were running for their lives. She wasn’t prepared for this kind of situation. Things got caught up too fast for her to think straight. Somehow she had more control fighting the bandits last two weeks than she had now.

Her thoughts slowed her down as strong hands grabbed her from behind, tackling her to the hard forest floor with a painful thud.

Her heart drummed as loudly as the pounding in her head, and she was sure she was close to seeing stars. 

Yoohyeon dropped to the ground next to her, the cat already out of her hands, as it climbed up to the nearest tree.

All those times she had imagined of her death, all that talk about honor, loyalty and sacrifice, as she laid there on the ground tasting dust in her mouth, all of that seem to sound so ridiculous now.

This, this was how she was going to die, in the hands of cat bandits.

_All thanks to Kim Yoohyeon._

__________________________________

‘Do you girls have a death wish!?’ The man grabbed Jiu close to his face, forcing her up to her feet.

‘Now we have no cat!’ He shouted again.

Out of the corner of her eye, she saw Yoohyeon struggling between the two men that held her, while the rest of them slowly gathered around.

His eyes caught sight of the crest symbol embroidered on her black kimono, his expression softening a bit now that he realised they weren’t trouble. 

He let go of her and signalled his men to do the same to Yoohyeon.

‘Jiu, are you okay?’ Yoohyeon asked, coming over to her worriedly.

She could only nod, blinking away the dark visions in the corner of her eyes.

The man put his hands on his hips, head tilting up at the tree where the cat had climbed up.

‘We didn’t mean to scare your cat away.’ Jiu apologized, bowing down.

‘Still didn’t explain why you had to take her along with you.’ He remarked casually.

Yoohyeon opened her mouth to speak, but the man brushed it off with a wave of his hand.

‘Let it be. She was going to escape from us either way.’

‘Why were you looking for her?’

‘She’s the pet of a high ranking noble. We were paid to find her. Such a hassle, really.’

He commanded his men to restart their search for the cat.

‘Well, stay out of trouble, and out of danger. There have been tons of attacks lately. Rebels, rogues, and whatnot, everyone’s fighting for one thing or another.’

‘Rebels?’ 

‘Ronins. Whether they’re rebelling against the throne or the rogues, we don’t even know.’

He started walking away, making _pspspspsp_ noises, no doubt trying to lure the stubborn cat.

Despite herself, Jiu moved a step forward and cleared her throat.

‘By any chance, do you know anything about a royal seal?’

She had broken all kinds of rules with that simple question, but today’s events had been anything but simple, and she was not going to go back empty-handed.

She didn’t think it had anything to do with them but she often wondered if the attack that day was the beginning of their string of problems.

The man stopped, turning his head back. To Jiu, it was a look of confirmation, but of course, he wasn’t going to tell them a thing even if he did know about it.

‘As I said, stay out of trouble.’

_____________________

They didn’t talk much the rest of their trek back to the dojo and it was only when they crossed over to their district’s territory that Yoohyeon spoke, not being able to bear the silence any longer.

‘I’m sorry. I thought they were going to do something bad to the cat.’

Jiu, who was a few steps ahead of her, stopped and shook her head.

‘It’s not your fault. These things happen, I guess.’

Despite the words she had said, Yoohyeon felt like Jiu was still mad at her. The last thing Yoohyeon wanted was that. 

‘Do you think I’m one of them?’ She picked up her pace and began walking side by side with the other girl.

‘One of what?’

‘Rebels, rogues and all that.’

If Yoohyeon had been wondering about it, surely Jiu must be too. 

Jiu stopped again, this time turning her head so that they were face to face. It took a moment for her to answer, as if she was refraining herself from saying what she really wanted to say. 

‘I don’t know..’ She said instead, letting out a sigh.

The clouds above them gathered suddenly, covering the forest in a cool shade. It was the first time the weather decided to be one their side for a change. 

A strange breeze passed through where they were standing and Yoohyeon felt a chill in her bones as she looked up at the darkening sky. She knew the weather could change suddenly, but she didn’t know it could be this sudden. 

She almost didn’t hear Jiu speak again as her mind trailed off.

‘I’m not mad at you, Yoohyeon-shi.’ Her voice was so soft and genuine that Yoohyeon had to wonder if she had misheard her.

‘I just have a lot to think about.’ She said, looking up at her.

With those beautiful eyes, sparkling even under this shaded tree, eyes holding so many hidden emotions that she tries so hard to hide them behind. 

Wisps of hair fell close to her cheek as she did so, and Yoohyeon wanted to do nothing more than brush them away with her own fingers.

‘Maybe I can help you with the thinking, so that you don’t have to.’ Yoohyeon offered, in an almost whisper, gently brushing the hair away and tucking it behind her ears.

Time seemed to have stopped, her heart ached, heavy with urge and desire. If she didn’t stop herself, she wouldn’t be able to stop it altogether.

_What is this feeling of longing?_

_This sad sense of dread that I can’t shake off._

_I want to kiss her._

_But I won’t. Not today._

_I won’t until the day I know she wants me to._

_I’ll wait for that day._

_Until then…._

_____________________

-All Is Not Lost-

By late evening, the air between Jiu and Yoohyeon reduced from ‘can’t stare directly into your eyes any longer than a second’ to a more subtle awkwardness, the events of today nothing but memories shoved into the back of their heads. 

Or at least that was what Jiu hoped to achieve by then.

Yoohyeon had been the first to tear her gaze away from their quiet interaction back at the forest, suggesting that they should head back and that it seemed rain was coming.

It was definitely like Yoohyeon to shrug the situation off like she did, going back to making a joke or two before they reached the dojo.

Jiu has never met anyone as laid-back and care-free as Yoohyeon. Although if it was because she had no memories to burden on or if it was just the way she was, she could only wonder. It seemed that it is near impossible to ruin that happy mood of hers because no matter what happens, Yoohyeon will always find a way to let it go.

She envied the limitless energy the girl has for anything that involves anything and the way she wouldn’t even think twice about doing things out on a whim. The cat incident today further proved her point.

Despite all that, when it came to Jiu and what she was about to do to her, she stopped. 

It was hard to understand what Yoohyeon’s intentions were at the time, but it was harder to convince herself that she did not feel disappointed by the event, or lack thereof.

Jiu was not the type to pick on these small insignificant things that happen in her life, and still she found herself doing exactly that the whole day.

Handong was the first one to notice her sour mood as they gathered for dinner that night. 

They sat side by side as Jiu lazily picked her food, something she rarely does, which Handong pointed out.

‘I’m just tired, that is all.’ She replied, a half-lie at best.

‘Still, you seem occupied.’ 

Jiu stole a glance at Yoohyeon, who was busy chatting away with Gahyeon and Dami, deep in conversation about the types of fish that taste well with different kinds of soy sauces.

Slowly, Jiu turned to face Handong and in a tone loud enough for only the two of them to hear, asked.

‘Do you remember the seal we went to receive from the second district? And the attack that happened after?’ 

‘Of course.’ 

‘Is there any chance it might be connected with..’ She began, but couldn’t bring herself to finish the sentence.

Fortunately, Handong understood. 

She regarded the question for a moment, brows creased in thought, then gave a shake of her head.

‘It’s a wild assumption, but they’re too close to each other to not consider the possibility.’ 

Jiu nodded, a sigh escaping from her without meaning to.

She didn’t even know what she was trying to make sense of, but questions swarmed in her mind ever since the cat bandit told them about how there’ve been many attacks lately.

And that seal, Jiu hates to admit it, but she knows exactly what the seal was. She could only hope to be wrong.

‘Why? What are you thinking?’ Handong asked her.

‘I’m thinking why a royal seal is being tossed around the districts like it’s a playing ball.’

‘Same reason why a playing ball is being tossed around.’ A voice sounded from their right, startling them. They turned their heads to it was Siyeon, who had come in late, set back by a mission of her own. 

‘No one wants to be _it._ ’ She explained as she sat down beside Jiu. The closest they've been since last night. They have to talk to each other at one point, right?

‘Pardon?’

‘Think about it, having the ball in your hand means the blame will be on you when the time runs out, doesn’t it?’

‘Why would you get blamed for tossing the ball anyways? What if it was better to just keep it with you?’ Handong countered.

‘Why would you keep the ball if it could endanger your life?’

‘Okay, maybe some bad people had found out you have the ball with you, and now they want the ball.’ Jiu added.

‘Why would they want the ball then?’ Siyeon asked.

‘Because...you can use the ball to your advantage?’ 

‘Or if you’re really bad, you can sell the ball to another bad person.’ Handong suggested.

Soon their conversation started sounding questionable, attracting the attention of others at the table, who instead of asking what they were really talking about, began throwing around ideas of their own into the mess.

‘What if there is more than one ball to play with?’ Yoohyeon said.

‘Maybe the ball is not important, but the game itself is?’ Gahyeon asked, which really didn’t help Jiu and the other two who were the only ones who knew the full context of the conversation.

Many more ideas passed between them, Jiu included.

‘What if everyone else is trying to get their hands on the ball, but you’re trying to keep it safe by tossing it to different people so that they can't get to it? Like a team game?’ 

At this point Jiu had no idea who had said that, everyone at their table seemed to be talking about a ball game or another, while the others peacefully ate their food.

The room fell silent as the door to their dining room opened wide, and Master Taiyo’s messenger walked in, bowing down before he spoke.

‘Sensei has asked for Lady Yoohyeon, and that she comes to see him straight away. I’ll be waiting outside to take you to him.’ 

The suddenness took them by surprise as everyone wondered what could be as important as calling a student over at the time like this, especially when they were having dinner.

What made the students more curious was that he called only for Yoohyeon, not Jiu and Yoohyeon.

Yoohyeon sat up, her face expressing a small trace of panic but she walked out of the room after giving a last glance back at Jiu.

When the door closed and the footsteps faded, Sua turned to her from across the table.

‘Speaking of which, what’s this thing I hear about a cat?’ She asked, eyes wide with disbelief. 

Jiu sighed, no longer having the energy to dive into another analogical discussion.

‘Whatever you heard, exactly as you had heard it.’

_____________________________________

Yoohyeon’s hand reflexively went to rub the spot on her chest, the motion calming her nerves, for like 10 seconds.

Master Taiyo had called her out of nowhere, with no warning of anything whatsoever. She tried to think of what it could be on her short walk to his room but stopped herself from doing.

 _What was the point of wondering now?_ _It’s not like a punch hurts less even when you know it’s coming._

The door to the master’s room slid open, and Yoohyeon felt not one, but two pairs of eyes staring back at her. 

Master Taiyo, and a young-looking lady, sitting down in seiza.

The lady looked up at her and waited, -waiting for exactly what, Yoohyeon didn’t know. Still, she was staring at her like..like she knew her. 

_Could it be?_

Yoohyeon’s breath caught in her throat and she swallowed hard, trying to calm herself again.

‘Yoohyeon, have a seat.’ Master Taiyo ordered. 

Not knowing what else to do, she sat down in front of the young lady, who still wouldn’t tear her eyes away.

‘Yoohyeon, this is Lady Yumiko.’ Master Taiyo began. 

Yoohyeon bowed her head in respect. She doesn’t look that old, at most ten years older than Yoohyeon, but then again, looks can be deceiving.

‘Do you remember me, Yoohyeon?’ 

It took everything in her to not lose her cool then and there. She shook her head, not trusting herself to speak out loud, for fear her voice will break.

‘I’m sorry I didn’t come sooner. When we heard information about the letters Master Taiyo had sent, we had to make sure we weren't being followed or spied on. I didn't want to put you and the dojo in more danger.’ 

Yoohyeon took in a deep breath and asked.

‘Do you..do you know who I am?’ She managed to say.

‘More than anyone.' 

Lady Yumiko’s voice was mature, firm and at the same time soft and reassuring. It suited her so well.

It could just as well be Yoohyeon’s wishful thinking but Lady Yumiko’s presence comforted her, gave her a sense of warmth and closeness she didn’t know she could have.

Of course, she was thinking about a person whose name is the only thing she knows.

Lady Yumiko took out a piece of cloth from a pouch she brought along with her, placing it on the floor space between them, gesturing for her to take it. 

Yoohyeon unbound the cloth, revealing a round slab of wood, painted red with a single black character carved into it, a small hole punched at the end for a string. 

She knew what it was immediately. A necklace. 

_Her necklace._

‘That’s yours. We had it made for you when you joined The Divide. It was the only thing that we could find at the waterfall.’ 

‘I found out about the letters Master Taiyo sent to the districts through one of my informants but to be honest, the seventh district wasn’t easy to find.’

So many questions she wanted to ask, yet where and how does she start it from? _Who was this Lady Yumiko? How do they know each other? Where the hell did she come from?_

Only one managed to escape her lips.

'How do I know you really know me? Having the necklace doesn't prove anything.' It was hard to hide the accusing tone in her voice. 

A smile escaped Lady Yumiko’s lips. 

‘You really don’t change, do you?’ 

‘Well, will you tell me who I am, so I can decide it for myself?’ 

Any normal person would have become offended but Lady Yumiko didn’t even flinch. It seems she really does know her.

‘You already know your name, so that’s a start. Do you know what the word on the pendant means, Yoohyeon?’ 

Yoohyeon stared down at the pendant in her hands.

_Among, In-between._

‘Between. It means in-between.’ 

‘Yes.’ 

‘And that’s what the divide does.’ 

‘The Divide?’ Yoohyeon looked up.

‘The guild that you pledged yourself in. The Divide. We’re the ones that are enforced to determine the line that blurs between peace and war. We’re the ones that pick out the good intentions from the bad. For the sake of the country, and the fate of the Emperor in association.’ 

Yoohyeon sat frozen, taking in the information. She had expected some kind of shock to come in her way but not.....whatever this serious and gloomy explanation was. _For the sake of the country? Fate of the Emperor?_

‘And that’s supposed to make sense?’

Master Taiyo gave a warning glance at her, but Lady Yumiko simply brushed it off. 

‘It seems I have to start the same conversation I had with you all those years ago.’

Then she turned to Master Taiyo and bowed again. 

‘With all due respect, sensei, if I could have a private moment with my sister?’

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I’m just full of surprises, aren’t I? XD.
> 
> If your cats are curious, here's [mine](https://curiouscat.me/gommdolii).
> 
> Thank you for reading and supporting me as always! I’ll work hard for the next updates!


	6. Universe In Your Eyes

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I decided to stop slacking off and just write what I wanted, without really caring much, honestly, best feeling ever. 
> 
> Here's the long-awaited update, hope you like it as I did.

**-Universe In Your Eyes-**

Despite the horde of information she was given in all 20 minutes, Yoohyeon felt calm.

Calmer than she had ever been the past few weeks. It was the first time she felt truly like herself, even if there was no solid proof to confirm whatever Lady Yumiko told her.

It seemed she had finally found purpose in her life. She couldn’t remember much with her own memory but at least she knows now that her life hadn’t been a total waste.

She was a third-generation member of The Divide, meaning her father and his father before him were members.

The guild didn’t belong to any political association but was for the sake of the country’s people, doing their best to protect the country and its people against those who wanted to take it down, although they were extremely secretive when it came to their identities.

Things started to make sense, in a way. It explained how she knew about those rogue invasions, her sword skill and style, which she’ll have to ask the name of later.

‘When you told me you wanted to go on with the mission, I knew it was a risk but I didn’t expect it to come down to this. I.. I’m sorry.’

‘What was the mission?’

‘You never told us the details. You said you had a lead, and then you left. That’s what you always did, no matter how many times I scolded you not to.’

‘How convenient. Now I’m the only one who knows whatever I know.’Yoohyeon complained, looking around at the dark garden.

‘But that’s probably not true. You said you had men following you before you jumped.’

_Just how much trouble had I been into?_

‘Do you understand what I’m saying, Yoohyeon?’ Lady Yumiko now asked her.

Yoohyeon replied with a nod. 

‘I guess.’

‘Whoever had followed you after, wouldn’t have known where you were going unless someone had talked.’ 

‘Are you saying someone betrayed me?’

‘That is what I’m assuming. I don’t know what you know, and if what Master Taiyo said is true, you don’t know either.’

‘Why did you bring me to the garden? You could have easily said those things inside?’

‘I don’t want to say them in front of him. I want to trust this district and the people that saved your life, but I can’t afford to.’

Yoohyeon looked up. Lady Yumiko’s face reflected against the lantern lights.

It wasn’t obvious at first, but now that she thought about it, the resemblance between the two of them was uncanny. The only striking difference was their hair colour. 

Something crossed her mind as a small smile escaped her own lips. 

‘I really want to know how that person would feel if I showed up alive and in one piece.’

Lady Yumiko gave her a hesitant look.

‘What?’ Yoohyeon asked.

‘As far as the Divide is concerned, you’re still missing. And it will stay that way until I figure out who’s responsible.’

‘So I’m not going back with you?’

‘No, but even so, you trust me enough to?’ 

‘Not really.’

‘I know this is sudden and too much to process but, will you give me the benefit of the doubt and trust me a little to listen to me?’ 

‘Listen to what?’ 

‘I want you to stay here and go on with this for now. I’ll visit you again, once I figure out what to do.’

‘What do I tell the others then?’

‘You’ll tell them nothing.’

Yoohyeon shook her head.

‘They deserve to know. They should know whose life they had saved, at least.’

If someone had asked her right now on who she trusted more, this young lady that knew things about her that Yoohyeon even didn’t or Jiu and the others who she had befriended, there was no doubt she would have chosen the latter.

And yet, she found herself agreeing. It was a weird sense of trust she had towards this person. 

The following days passed by in a blur. Lady Yumiko had requested Master Taiyo for an extension of Yoohyeon's stay and a promise of secrecy on their matter.

_Take the necklace back, but make sure you hide it well. Don't trust anyone that comes to you claiming they know me. I'll come to you myself._

That meant Yoohyeon had to pretend to not know her past and her involvement with The Divide, let alone the whole existence of the guild itself.

Still it was not hard to feign her disappointment. She was truly upset at the fact that she couldn’t tell anything to her friends.

She hated herself for lying straight to their curious faces when she came back from her meeting that night.

She could only hope she hadn’t made a mistake doing so.

Now they were settled under the shade of the district’s massive trees after their training of the day.

‘Are you coming with us to the firework festival, Lady Handong?’ Yoohyeon heard Lady Bora ask.

The firework festival. The night where everyone gathers together in a massive greenfield, watching plays on stage, setting up food stalls and games booths, waiting for the main event of the night, which was the colourful fireworks.

‘I am. My parents sent me a letter not to this year, saying it was dangerous to travel.’

Of course they all knew why.

The Imperial Court was beginning to collapse ever since there had been rumors of the Emperor’s abdication, and every eligible person has been trying to get their hands on the throne. 

The worst among them was Lord Mastsumoto, a tyrant and an unfair ruler. The old man was..well, old, yet the power and control he tries to seize was not to be taken lightly.

And then there were the daimyos and the shogunate who the districts were serving. 

Yoohyeon wasn’t saying they were not far from being a tyrant, but that was what she was starting to do.

They held as much power as the Emperor himself, if not more.

The court nobility, _the kuge_ despite being second in the social hierarchy, didn’t really have any significant political power compared to the shogunate but was simply there to serve the winning side, whichever it may be.

Now that those social classes are working hard trying to get to the winning side they were distracted to be defending themselves against the rest of the illegible clans who want nothing more than to overthrow the throne.

Yoohyeon stretched her long legs, preparing to lie down on the soft grass. 

‘Everyone’s fighting for one thing or another.’ She quoted the man from last week, throwing her hands to the back of her head to use it as a pillow. 

Instead she miscalculated the distance and awkwardly landed on Jiu’s lap. 

Jiu tensed, not expecting the sudden movement. Yoohyeon got up and cleared her throat. 

‘Sorry.’ She apologised.

‘It’s..it’s okay.’

‘You’re coming with us right, Yoohyeon?’ Siyeon asked her.

‘Of course. The food there is to die for.’

‘Hopefully you’ll get the second shift then.’ Gahyeon said.

‘Hmm?’ 

Jiu was the one that they all looked at, as if waiting for her to explain.

‘Last-year trainees like us get assigned to guard the town’s nobles that come to the festival. For their safety, and also for patrol. So we get separated into three shifts.’ 

‘Ohh, but I’m not really a trainee..’ Yoohyeon said.

There was a look of realisation on their faces as they remembered that Yoohyeon was not one of them. 

‘Then you’re lucky to try all the food and games. I haven’t had full fun since last year.’ Bora complained before shifting next to Dami, already beginning to annoy her.

A wave of sadness rushed over her. 

‘On second thought, I don’t think I’ll be allowed to go either way.’ 

‘Why not?’ Dami asked, pushing the other girl away.

_Because some people think I’m dead._

‘Well, Master Taiyo might think it’s dangerous for me, or something.’ She tried her best to be casual.

‘You sound like you have a price on your head.’ Dami replied. It was a wild assumption, but it had hit it’s mark.

Yoohyeon shrugged, feeling the guilt and the lies slowly eating her away.

As their break ended, they went back to do their chores, with Yoohyeon following Jiu around as usual.

For the first time ever, Jiu was the one who started speaking. 

‘If you want to go to the festival, I won’t stop you.’ 

‘Why do you say that?’ 

‘I didn’t want you to think it otherwise, just in case.’ 

‘It doesn’t matter, I’ll just stay at the dojo. I don’t want to bother anyone.’ 

Jiu looked up at her, and Yoohyeon felt a chill go through her spine, or maybe it was just paranoia.

‘Is it because of what Lady Yubin said?’ 

‘What? No, I mean. I guess. She might be right, and I think it’s better to stay hidden for a while.’

Yoohyeon gave a nervous laugh, then continued. ‘There’s always next year. Besides, all of you will be busy, right? I’ll be alone anyways.’ 

Jiu simply nodded, but it didn’t feel like she was agreeing with her, just acknowledging the fact.

_When all this is over, I’ll tell you everything, Jiu. I promise. But for now, I’ll have to keep it this way._

___________________________________

‘What’s wrong with Yoohyeon these days?’ Siyeon asked Jiu as they walked over to the weapons room for their festival shift. 

‘What do you mean?’ 

‘She’s been quiet and distant ever since Master Taiyo called her over.’

‘He didn’t exactly give her good news. Seems reasonable for her to be upset.’ 

‘Still, it’s weird. And what’s more weird is no ones knows about her. It’s like she doesn’t exist before. Someone must know something.’ 

‘Hmm.’

‘What are you going to do?’

‘Do what?’ 

Siyeon raised her eyebrows in slight confusion.

‘Surely you’re not going to keep letting her follow you around? You know the other trainees had already given her a nickname.’ 

‘Nickname?’

‘Yes. They call her Jiu’s puppy.’ She said, opening the doors and walking ahead into the crowded room.

Jiu frowned, but Siyeon didn’t see her reaction.

‘That’s not very nice.’ 

Siyeon laughed.

‘They don’t mean it that way, Jiu-ssi. It’s pretty cute if you think about it.’

They picked up their given swords and swung it around to check for faults.

The doors opened again, Gahyeon and Handong walking in.

‘Oh you guys are still here.’The latter spoke.

‘Imm. I’m on the third shift.’ Siyeon replied as the two girls went over to their own weapon rack.

‘Will you be going to the festival before your shift, Jiu?’

The both of them had the same second shift, which wasn’t that late into the night like the third but was the most busiest part of the festival.

‘I think I’ll stay and rest.’ 

‘What for? We’re resting every other day. Come with us and have fun like a normal person.’ Gahyeon complained, eyes not looking away from her swords.

For some reason the girl loves to wield two short swords instead of one. It was her preferred weapon and she was the most skilled with it.

Siyeon gave Gahyeon a side glance but Jiu knew she was agreeing with her too, and what she said next only proved it.

‘I’m free on the first shift too. Why don’t you come with us?’ Siyeon asked while Handong nodded.

In truth, she wanted to go, yet there was this part of her that felt bad about leaving Yoohyeon behind.

A month ago, she would have been fine, but a lot has changed since then. Yoohyeon wasn’t exactly forbidden from going either. Whether or not she goes was her decision and Jiu didn’t want to falter the girl’s mind with her opinion.

Some voice inside of her was whispering, _how can you have fun when she’s not?_

And then there was also this voice that kept saying _it’s your chance to be with Siyeon, take it._

‘And you can even buy something for Yoohyeon afterwards.’ Siyeon added, sensing Jiu’s hesitation.

The girls were staring at her now, waiting in anticipation. 

It was like these two equally bad devils wrestling in her mind, persuading her to make a decision.

No matter what she chooses, it’ll be bad.

‘All right. I’ll come with you.’ 

_________________________________

Lee Siyeon had been waiting on this night for a long time. Firstly, there was the delicious food she could eat, and secondly, which was the more important reason, was that she could spend some time with Jiu that didn’t involve missions or swords.

So naturally she felt disappointed when she found out that their common free shift was the first, the beginning of the festival, from five to seven bells, and also the least romantic part of the night.

It doesn’t matter now. Jiu was standing close to her, staring at the candied apple in her hand.

‘It won’t bite you, you know. You’re the one that’s supposed to bite.’ 

‘I know. It just looks.. too pretty.’

She bit down into the apple at last, savouring the taste. 

‘Nice right?’ 

‘Hmm.’ She nodded, a heartfelt smile spread across her pretty face, before extending the apple out for her. 

‘Have a bite.’ 

Siyeon blinked. It was nothing but a simple and polite gesture yet it felt like her heart was about to jump out of its place.

‘It won’t bite you.’ Jiu teased, repeating her words. 

They were focused on the candied apple to realise Gahyeon and Handong had disappeared off. Siyeon wasn’t sure if that was on purpose or a coincidence.

So they went around for the better half of their time, testing out the foods, watching the younger kids go around the field playing with each other, sparklers in their hands.

The whole field was lit with colourful lanterns in neatly arranged orders, including the ones on the stalls where the vendors were cheerfully serving their customers.

Faint music played from around somewhere, but as the festival stretched, it’d got lost in the surroundings. 

‘Do you think we’ll still be here next year?’ Jiu asked suddenly, and Siyeon wondered what she had been thinking beforehand.

‘Here at the festival or at the dojo?’ 

‘Both.’ 

Siyeon gave a slight shake of her head. 

‘Why were you thinking about a graduation that’s months away?’

A chill breeze whiffed past them, and streaks of purple hair fell across Jiu’s face. Siyeon inched closer, a gentle hand brushing Jiu’s cheek, pushing away the hair back like her fingers longed to do so.

‘What’s really on your mind, Jiu?’ 

‘Everything.’ 

If it was any other normal person, Siyeon would have thought for her to be exaggerating. But this was Jiu, and when she said she was thinking about everything, she really was thinking about everything.

‘I thought I could get through with all this, but now that it’s almost near, I.. I don’t know anymore.’ 

Siyeon opened her mouth to reply but Jiu wasn’t done.

‘It’s like I’m keeping a lie, and I can’t do anything about it.’ 

‘But it’s not. You’re not lying at anyone.’ 

‘I’m keeping things from them. It’s the same thing.’ 

‘It’s not. We all have our secrets. What if yours was a little bigger than most. It’s yours to keep.’

Jiu just sighed, putting her hands on her temples to massage them. 

‘Maybe I really need to have some fun.’

The drums near the stage played out a string of rhythm, which was meant to indicate the trainees of the shift change.

‘The first shift is almost over. I’ll walk you to your post.’ 

They walked in silence and it wasn’t until they reached that Siyeon spoke again.

‘I won’t be there for the third shift but the rest of the girls will be there. Don’t think about anything else, okay?’ 

Jiu nodded again. 

‘Will you promise me to have fun?’ She asked, giving a smile.

‘I’ll try.’

‘Promise me?’

‘I promise.’

Siyeon wandered around aimlessly, wondering how the night had turned out. She wasn’t particularly sad but she wasn’t happy either.

Her eyes set on a small booth in the corner selling handmade masks that she saw some people were wearing and buying.

An idea struck her mind. _It’s already past eight bells. If I go back now, I might make it._

She quickly decided on her plan, taking out a couple of coins from her pocket and walked in the direction of the mask shop. 

___________________________________

Yoohyeon had never been this bored in her short-remembered life. Usually nights like these in the common room were filled with laughter and chatter.

Now she was all alone. And she had no one but to blame herself. Or maybe it was on the person that tried to kill her. 

Yes.

The blame was definitely on them.

She’s stuck here in an empty house because of them, instead of having fun at the festival like she normally would.

Having exhausted herself with her made up games, like counting how many floorboards there were on each floor of the house, how many petals of flowers the wallpapers had, she decided to call it a night and head to bed.

She had almost drifted to sleep when a soft knock sounded on her door.

Her heart skipped a beat. 

Another knock. 

‘Yoohyeon-ssi?’ 

She heard from the other side. She opened the doors slowly and there was Siyeon, staring back at her.

‘Siyeon? What are you doing here?’ She slid the doors back wider.

Siyeon handed her a white fox half-mask, the paintings on it intricate and decorative.

‘I know you want to go to the festival, so here’s your chance.’ 

_________________________________

During the short walk down to the festival in her newly bought mask, Yoohyeon wondered why Siyeon came back for her.

Still, she wasn’t complaining, and only asked herself why she hadn’t thought of a plan like this in the first place. 

‘Do you think Master Taiyo would find out?’ Yoohyeon asked.

‘As long as you don’t take the mask off, or get into trouble, you’ll be fine.’ 

Yoohyeon stopped walking.

‘Why does everyone assume I would get into trouble?’ 

Siyeon laughed.

‘Come on. I’ll be late for my shift if we slow down.’ 

‘Then who am I supposed to stay with? Don’t you all have shifts or something?’ 

‘Well, me and Gahyeon will be the only ones busy, and then there’s Jiu-’ 

‘So you brought me here so I could keep Jiu company?’

Yoohyeon felt Siyeon’s eyes on her even in the dark.

‘Would you have minded if it was?’ 

She shook her head, ‘No, I, I just want to know why.’ 

‘She’s got a lot on her mind right now, well, more than most days. Especially since the swordsmanship challenge is coming up.’

‘The what?’ 

‘It’s the end of the year tournament our districts hold. Winning means the greatest accomplishment samurais like us can have. Jiu’s our district’s representative.’ Siyeon took in a short breath, then continued.

‘And the responsibility is stressful for her, among other things. I try to cheer her up but I want her to be happy, you know, genuinely. And she seems most happy whenever you’re around her.’ 

‘What are you talking about? She’s always smiling when she’s with _you._ ’ 

‘It’s not..like that.’

Siyeon shook her head. 

‘I don’t have time to explain it all. Will you spend some time with her or not?’ 

‘Of course. If she wants to be with me.’

‘Thank you. I owe you a great favour.’ 

‘You don’t owe me anything, Siyeon.’ 


	7. Not A Monster, Just Human/I Taste Blood When You Bleed

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I tried my best to edit and refine, but this is a 5K word update and it's 12 am and my eyes are begging me to go to sleep. I apologise in advance if there's any kind of mistakes.

**-Not A Monster, Just Human-**

_Head to the end of the stalls, the one next to the candied apples. Someone is waiting for you._

Siyeon had said that to her when they switched posts, a sly smile spread across her face.

She was expecting to see her housemates or one of the district’s trainees, with their signature black clothes but only one person stood out from where Jiu was.

And they were wearing a fox half-mask, happily chewing on a takoyaki ball.

Jiu walked closer, thinking she'd seen her before, and it wasn’t until that person smiled and waved her hand at her that she realised who it was.

‘Yoohyeon-ssi?’

‘Please don’t tell me it was easy to recognise me.’ 

‘What are you doing here?’ 

‘Waiting for you.’ 

‘No, I mean at the festival.’

‘I wanted to see the fireworks. The food stalls are almost packing up, but I managed to have some snacks.’

‘I thought you didn’t want to come.’ 

At this point, Jiu had no idea why she kept talking. Seeing Yoohyeon in front of her made all the tiredness from her shift wither away like it was nothing.

‘I changed my mind. Come on. If we go to the front, we can see the fireworks more clearly.’ 

Yoohyeon held out her free hand, gesturing for her to take it. 

_Will you promise me to have fun?_ She remembered what Siyeon had told her. 

‘It’s better if we hold onto each other, the crowd is gathering.’

‘Okay.’ She said at last, giving a weak smile, and grabbed her hand.

It wasn’t like she hadn’t held hands with anyone before, much less Yoohyeon, but somehow she felt nervous. Meanwhile, Yoohyeon paid no mind to the action, as she continued leading their way to the front.

They pushed between the crowd and caught a glimpse of Lady Bora and Lady Handong emerging from the otherside, deep in conversation, with Lady Dami a short distance behind them.

When they saw Jiu holding hands with what looked like a masked stranger to them, they stopped talking and stared.

It was obvious they were confused, or were they could just be amused.

Jiu blushed, her hand reflexively began to let go, but Yoohyeon’s grip only tightened.

‘Lady Jiu, and. . .’ Bora trailed off, hoping Jiu would introduce her to the person. 

‘That’s Yoohyeon, dummy.’ Handong said, squinting her eyes at her.

Yoohyeon whispered a curse word.

‘Relax, it’s only obvious because you’re with Jiu.’ 

‘Why are you wearing that? If anything you should take it off. Maybe someone will recognise you.’ Bora said.

 _That kind of made sense._ Jiu thought, looking up at Yoohyeon, but the girl just shrugged.

‘It’s fine. I’d rather not get recognised right now.’ 

Their conversation got cut short when the drums began rolling, for the fireworks to begin.

They all made their way to a free spot but since it was crowded with all five of them, Jiu and Yoohyeon separated and found someplace else and stood there, waiting. Soon after, the event started. The first ones crackled as it shot up high to the dark sky and exploded, showering them with colourful sparkles.

More and more went up, painting the sky with beautiful patterns and shapes, like the sky itself was some blank canvas.

The heat warmed Jiu’s face. After a long time of standing in attention out in the cold, this feeling felt rewarding. 

The next ones shot through and burst into a circle, leaving trails of ember behind for longer than the other fireworks.

Jiu knew what they were called. _Kamuro._

‘Those are my favourites.’ Jiu said, almost to herself, but somehow Yoohyeon heard it.

‘They’re beautiful.’ She replied through the loud sizzles.

Then looked down at her and smiled, making Jiu’s heart jump up higher than it already was.

‘But not as beautiful as the girl next to me watching them.’

Jiu paused, wondering if she had heard it wrong.

‘What did you say?’

Yoohyeon gave her head a slight shake and took her mask off. The sky shattered into thousands of sparks, illuminating her features in bright colours.

Jiu knew she was good-looking since the day they met, but right then, underneath the glistening sky on this particular night, she looked so....ethereal. 

Time seemed to have stopped as they stared into each other’s eyes, the noises around them becoming nothing but dull, inaudible voices.

_Had she always been this beautiful?_

‘I like you, Jiu.’ 

Jiu’s breath hitched, her heart caught in her throat. Her mind raced to think of what to reply, but even if she had thought of what to say, she wouldn’t have been able to.

Because everyone started screaming. 

______________________________________________

The night gave off a weird vibe to Siyeon as soon as her shift started. Was it because she had left Jiu alone with Yoohyeon to watch the fireworks? _Probably._

_Probably not._

Maybe she just needs to stop making things up to worry about. From where she was posted, she could get a clear view of the people she was guarding. Also one of the best places to watch the fireworks. Her eyes were busy glancing between the perimeter and the sky above she didn’t notice Gahyeon gesturing at her.

‘What?’ She mouthed. 

One of the trainees rushed into the field, running towards them.

‘We have a problem.’ He said, resting his hands on his knees to catch his breath.

‘The team circling the forests haven’t returned. And there’s no word from the town’s patrol either.’ 

‘Where’s the rest of the trainees that finished their shift? Can we gather them?’

They’ve been taught to handle situations like these, but when it was actually happening right in front of them, it was hard to think properly. 

‘Some went back, some are still here, watching the displays.’ 

Just then, red flares shot up from the forest and if they weren’t in the direct field of sight, they would not have seen it. 

‘That’s not ours.’ Gahyeon pointed out at the sky, a hint of worry in her voice.

Siyeon gave one last scan at the crowd, weighed in for a moment, then made up her mind.

‘Sound the warning bells, Gahyeon. Then take as many men as you need and escort the nobles back to their houses.’

‘The rest of you will wait around the perimeter, anyone suspicious that makes their way, give them a warning, and if they don’t obey, take them down.’

The final sparks of fireworks shot up through the sky, and in that split second of brightness, Siyeon saw everything. 

She took in a deep breath, her heart pounced, blood pumping loud in her ears. The suddenness took them aback.

_Please tell me I’m imagining things._

At that point, she would happily accept the fact that she was seeing things because she was insane. Not because she was actually seeing them.

Masked figures surrounded them, bows pulled back in their hands, the arrow tips burning in fiery red flames as they got shot through the air.

The arrows whistled past the sky of people and embedded themselves into the monstrous trees. 

_Smack. Smack. Smack._

The forest began to catch fire as the arrows hit one by one, while the rest of their attackers came for them.

Her own team advanced, trying to defend as best as they can, despite not knowing what was happening. 

Siyeon, on the other hand, had a vague idea of what was happening but she had no idea how it was happening.

They had set up a larger number of trainees on the perimeter at least expecting some kind of disturbance but this was far from her expectations.

People screamed and ran aimle as long as it was away from their attackers. But they were everywhere. 

Something’s obviously burning now, she could smell the smoke. If a big part of the forest catches fire, they would be done for. She had heard of forest fires that would burn for days, even though it was being watered down continuously.

One of the figures spotted her. A dark silhouette in the blazing red light. They wore no armour. They were not soldiers. Their swords shape in different variations as their clothes.

She took her sword out and swung it at him. Both an offense and a defense. He held his own back at her, the two swords pushing and thrusting the same way their owners were.

Her attacker’s eyes looked unusual in the night light. Wild, violent and deadly. _Rogues._

To her surprise, he grunted and slowly fell to his knees.

Gahyeon had stabbed him through the back.

They fought their way through, as people ran by them, their fear stricken faces lit up by the blazing forest that blocked them on one side, and the mysterious attackers’ fire arrows on the other.

‘Why are you still here?!?’ Siyeon shouted through the inaudible chaos.

‘We’re trapped ! We have no way out!’

The two of them paced around, slashing at enemies with their swords as much as they could. In a moment, green flares shot up from somewhere in the field, a warning sign for their dojo to come with back-up.

They were trapped, but now they just have to hold on until help comes. Her arm ached from swinging around for long, muscles strained with each person she finished.

She had never killed before. She had injured many men and women in the past, as her duty willed, but she had never ended anyone’s life. 

Until that night. She knew it as soon as she felt it. She just never knew who it was, or how many she had. Her sword had met an endless number of flesh, tasted more blood than she could count, still, it doesn’t know whose life it had ended.

The loud clang of a sword falling to the ground brought Siyeon back to her senses. Gahyeon went down beside her, letting out a small cry of pain.

Siyeon took one step forward and leapt through the air, finishing off Gahyeon’s attacker in one piercing swing. 

Her blood-stained pair of swords lay a few feet beside her. _How many enemies had she slain too? How much blood and how many lives had her swords taken?_ Would she have thought the same way as Siyeon was thinking now? Even in her panicked state, it was hard to not think about it. 

This was nothing like their training. This was real life, this was what she was going to have to do for the rest of her life, that is if she manages to survive the night.

There were not many of the attackers left to fight now, to the point where most of the trainees and the brave common people had run off to extinguish the growing fire.

She rushed over to kneel beside Gahyeon, who had her hand pressed on the bleeding wound on her shoulder. 

A clean cut through the front from the back. _She’ll survive. As long as she doesn’t bleed to death._

Footsteps neared them again, and Siyeon’s hand reflexively raised her sword to defend. Fortunately it was only Handong. 

She knelt on the hard ground loud enough for Siyeon to hear a thud and clutched the girl in her arms.

‘What the hell happened?’ She asked, her voice close to breaking.

Gahyeon grunted as her wounds grazed Handong’s robes, blood seeping instantly at the touch.

‘She got stabbed. One on the front, and another on the back. Keep pressure on them. I’ll call for help.’ Siyeon said and got up to find the other trainees. 

The heat from the burning forest stinged her face as she went around to check on the people while trying to find the rest of them.

She couldn't get sight of any of the nobles, she doesn’t know if that was a good or a bad thing. Hopefully they would be escorted by someone nearby. She would have to make sure of it.

Jiu and Yoohyeon were nowhere to be found. A sudden bang of panic hit her, her eyes wandering around, searching for something, anything.

More trainees ran to help the wounded, and among the scattered bodies stood Bora and Dami, who came over as soon as they saw her in the night light.

One of them was limping slightly and both were covered in cuts here and there, but they seemed to be okay.

‘The nobles barely escaped. They all made it back in one piece.’ Bora said, wiping a cut on her head with the back of her hand.

‘Go help Handong, Gahyeon’s hurt.’ 

Dami nodded, and went over immediately, but Bora looked at her, as if wanting to say something.

‘What?’

‘We shot up the flares, but no one from the district came. Also..’

She turned around, as if searching for something. Or someone. 

‘It’s.. some trainees said they saw Jiu and Yoohyeon ran back to the district as soon as the fire started.’ 

‘Why?’

‘I don’t know. But I think-’

She never waited for her to finish as her hand gripped tight on her sword and burst into a run, to the direction of the district.

She knows the rest of the girls can handle the situation over here, and the trainees are well capable of controlling the fire until she comes back with more men.

It was the thought of Jiu that bothered her.

Something must have made them go back. They’ve been informed to shoot up green flares in case an attack happens on either side, but Siyeon had not seen any green flares come up from their dojo.

_Or have I been too occupied to notice it?_

The heat lessened as she went further away from the fire. She breathed in the cool air that entered her aching lungs and felt strands of hair stick to the sweat falling down on her face.

Lightning flashed from above the sky, a sense of relief flushed over her. If it rains, the rain will help them douse the fire. They need any kind of help that comes their way. Her relief was cut short as the questions returned.

Why did they go back? What could she possibly expect when she gets there? 

_Another fire? Another attack?_

Even if so, what would she do? What should she do? 

Only when she reached the entrance and saw the lantern lights at the door swaying calmly with the rhythm of the wind, she stopped running.

_At least it’s not a fire._

Nothing seemed to be burning, yet something felt wrong. The fear called out on her, making her set foot into the dojo grounds against her better judgement, hands stumbling to open the doors.

Everywhere was dark, the lights dimmed by either the trainees or their enemies. It was quieter, as opposed to the crowd she had left behind. She finally understood why no one had come to help them. 

Because an attack had definitely happened here too. A few of the third-year trainees who were on guard duty were knocked out cold on the ground, being seen to by the healers and the others while the place itself looked like it had been turned upside down.

_How much time has passed?_

She heard the simultaneous ting of swords being drawn at her as she approached, the silvery surfaces glistening with the moonlight when they did so.

She dropped her sword and raised her hands the same time they realised it was her.

‘It’s just me. Siyeon.’

‘Sorry, Master Taiyo ordered us to check everyone that gets past the doors and the gates at the back.’

One of the younger trainees told her and bowed down, his face grim with tiredness.

‘What happened here?’ 

‘We had a break-in, and an attack, but if it wasn’t for Lady Jiu and Lady Yoohyeon who came over to help us, we wouldn’t have-’ 

A flicker of blonde hair shouldered in between the trainees and walked into the light, interrupting the boy. He stopped talking and moved away as he saw the person. The atmosphere suddenly felt stiff and restrained at her entrance. It had shown in the faces of the other trainees.

_Yoohyeon._

She got closer, face thick with sweat, and...blood. Siyeon assessed her up and down, finally noticing that the blood was not only on her face, it was everywhere on her body.

If it was her own, she shouldn’t even be able to walk, let alone be alive. 

A small part of her already knew, but Siyeon would rather ignore it than even acknowledge its existence. 

Yet, the usual spark in the girl’s eyes were gone, replaced by fear and misery. They seem so lost in their own world.

Panic coiled inside her gut, and crawled its way up until it reached her chest, where it made her heart thump loudly again.

‘Yoohyeon, are you hurt? Why are you covered in so much blood?’ 

Clenching her fists that were by her side, Yoohyeon slowly looked up at her, lips quivering as she answered the question.

It was barely audible, but Siyeon had heard it. Still, she refused to accept it until she would say it again, all the while wishing she had heard the words wrong.

‘Say that again, Yoohyeon.’

‘I said...It’s not mine. It’s Jiu’s.’

**-I Taste Blood When You Bleed-**

‘Will you please tell me why we’re running away from the direction of the fight?’ 

Yoohyeon’s footsteps tapped loudly behind Jiu’s own, the ground gathering up dust as they made the run back to the dojo. 

‘The dojo’s under attack. I saw the green flares.’ Jiu said, picking up her pace. 

_Had she always been this fast?_

‘And so is the festival.’ Yoohyeon argued.

‘No, it’s different. The festival feels like a distraction.’ 

It was hard to understand what Jiu was implying but they neither had the time nor the opportunity to be discussing why.

Jiu slowed down only when they reached the corner to the dojo’s entrance. 

‘Do you still have your mask?’ Jiu breathed.

‘Yeah, why.’ 

‘Give it to me.’ 

Yoohyeon once again did not understand the nature of Jiu’s requests but complied anyway. 

‘Get to the weapons room, grab yourself a sword, a real sword, and come to Master Taiyo’s quarters, got it?’ 

‘Yes but, what about you?’ 

Jiu didn’t wait for her to finish her question as she leapt through the air and climbed up the walls to the dojo, disappearing as fast as Yoohyeon’s eyes could follow. 

Considering the graveness of the situation, Yoohyeon decided to obey as told but things were easier said than done. Her trip to the weapons room was not as smooth as she thought it would be.

The moment she stepped into the dim corridors, she heard them. Her body tensed, focused on where their attackers might be. She crouched down and hid herself in the corner until they passed, praying that she wouldn’t be found. 

_How in the world did Jiu see the flares in the chaos we had left behind?_

Grabbing the first long sword she could find, she sneaked through the blackness, eyes trying to adjust to the dark. When they did, she realised that the dojo had already been in disarray.

This wasn’t an attack, this didn’t feel like an attack. The first thought that came into her mind was the possibility that the men might be here for her.

Her sister’s visit might have exposed Yoohyeon’s location, and whoever wanted her dead, came back to finish her.

 _No._ She shook her head. _It couldn’t be_. If these people are in trouble or hurt because of her, she would never forgive herself.

As she quietly made her way to the main quarters, she contemplated on whether she should just announce her presence and let herself be taken. 

If it means she could repay the debt she had on the people of this dojo, she wouldn’t even think of it twice.

But if she thought wrong, she would be dead for no reason. 

Her plan never got the chance to unfold as she reached her destination. What she saw explained why it had been so quiet in the other parts of the dojo. 

Because everyone was fighting for their lives here. Enough light dimmed to make out her enemies from her foes, the younger inexperienced trainees giving their best to defend. 

Defend exactly what, she still had no idea. Yoohyeon helped in on the action, disarming the attackers one by one. Killing them would have been much safer, but by the chance that they needed to investigate them, a dead man would do them no good.

A sudden explosion in the distance threw all of them off their feet, with Yoohyeon doved away to shield herself from the flying debris.

She got up shakily, trying to swallow away the deafening ringing in her ears and ran to where the sound had come from.

Master Taiyo’s quarter was in ruins, the wooden doors and the floorboards split everywhere, the wallpapers sodden with smoke and dust. 

Light poured in from the other side, shadows dancing against the wall behind. She carefully stepped around the wreckage, while straining her ears to listen for any signs of danger.

Once she got near, her eyes immediately went to the mask laying a few feet away from the dead bodies. 

The mask Siyeon had bought for her. The mask Jiu had asked for.

The mask that’s now broken in two.

_No, don’t tell me._

In the middle of the room was Master Taiyo himself, a sword in each of his hands, aimed at the men that cornered him.

But it wasn’t just him that he was protecting.

There was also Jiu.

Jiu, who was lying on her side on the floor.

Jiu whose body was as still as stone, save for the very slow breaths she kept taking, surrounded by a pool of her own blood. 

Blood that was seeping through the large wounds inches below her chest and back, still connected by the very sword that had passed through her.

She wanted to run to her, and help her but only stumbled into the larger debris that surrounded. Several of the men turned and raised their swords at her, yet the only thing she could focus on was Jiu.

‘We only want the seal. Didn’t we tell you?’ The man on the other side began, giving her the least of his concerns.

‘If you hadn’t resisted, we wouldn’t have done this to her.’ 

That same man gave a coarse laugh as he looked around his peers, who joined him in his chuckling.

‘But then again, we would have. It’s not every day we get this lucky. I was beginning to wonder why she was hiding behind the mask.’

‘You will get neither of them. The seal or the girl.’ Master Taiyo said. His demeanour was unnaturally calm and collected for someone in his situation.

‘Are you sure of that, old man? I’ll compromise. Give us the seal so that we can leave, and you can help her. That is if she is even alive.’

At that, they all heard the slightest whimper of pain that escaped Jiu’s pale lips. Yoohyeon’s heart ached at the sound. It was as if she was trying to tell them that she was still here. 

It was all Yoohyeon needed to bring the anger and the will out of her to attack the men. She took a step forward and jumped up, swinging down on the men’s chests in one violent arc.

Three of their bodies hit the ground as the sword ate through their flesh as easily as air. Others could only stare in terror at what she had brought upon.

Something inside her had snapped. There was this burning desire to kill that surfaced.

Most of the men turned their attention towards her, but some remained where they were, their eyes fixed on Master Taiyo still.

 _It doesn’t matter._ Whatever stupid seal he was protecting was his problem. 

The only thing she cared about was getting Jiu to safety. She closed her eyes for a second, and prayed internally.

Prayed for the safe passage of the souls she was about to take tonight, right there and right then.

When that second passed, she opened her eyes, stared at the men that were now looking at her with great interest. And fear.

 _I’ve changed my mind. Dead men will indeed do me good._ She thought to herself.

Then went on a rampage.

_______________________________________

Jiu had come to realize that the festival was just a diversion the moment the consecutive red flares went up. It took her one glance back in the direction of the dojo to confirm.

Having a great number of men to start a fire all the while killing and disabling anyone who tries to stop them was unnecessary for what they really wanted to do, but it only goes to prove the kind of bad people she will have to deal with.

She reached the corner to the building where she suspected the thieves might be, and followed the dim trail of light. There must be more than one group of thieves to carry out this plan. This particular group preferred to dim the lights first and then attack. It was an effective strategy, she’ll give them that. 

Giving the knot on her mask one last pull, she slowly crept to the Master’s room. The long silence suddenly broke away as the door frame collapsed, a man tumbling out along with it. 

He rolled some distance away and remained there lifeless, while many more grunts and sounds of struggle came out of the now-exposed room.

No longer feeling the need to hide, she dashed forward, and drew her sword out of its sheath, the metallic _shwing_ echoing across the corridors as she ran. 

She was met with not one, but two attackers charging at her. She ducked and thrusted the sword at one and turned around just in time to block the other attacker’s blade, sending him backwards.

Master Taiyo easily fended off three men at a time, something Jiu thought was impossible for someone to do in the dark. A whistle of a tune passed through the air, and not a second later, the lights came on, illuminating their faces.

They should have made them fight in the dark. Now that she finally saw how many they were up against, survival seemed so far away and hopeless. 

Yet, what else could they do? 

Jiu had never fought this many opponents in her life or killed more than that night. She just knew if she stopped, she'd lose. They’d lose.

What had Master Taiyo been hiding that deemed so important for a situation to go this much out of hands?

_Or could they possibly be for Yoohyeon?_

A dozen more men appeared as someone kicked her knees from behind. They did the same to Master Taiyo. Even under their own masks, the way they moved around gave off a sense of smugness. Whatever had happened between them and her master before she arrived, she had missed it.

‘Like I said, one tune for me to whistle, and this place will go in flames. If you don’t want to get your blood painted on these walls, you give us what we want.’ 

One of them spoke to him, face inches away from the Master’s own. Jiu opened her mouth to speak, but Master Taiyo gave the man an eerily calm smile, and said.

‘With all due respect, like I had said, even over my dead body you will not get them.’

‘Hmm. It wouldn’t hurt to try, would it?’

She heard that metallic _shwing_ as he brought the sword down at the unflinching master.

The next thing she knew, she had wedged herself between the man and her master, feeling the tip of the sword pierce her own body as he sank it deep into her chest.

As if on instinct, her hand went up to grab the remaining fragments of the sword that wasn’t already inside her body, blood seeping out of the cut, yet it was like a tiny stream compared to the wounds that had now penetrated out of her back.

Even after all that time, she still couldn’t feel the pain. Her knees buckled underneath her as she went down, kneeling and that was when it came. 

The pain. And the realisation of what she had done. 

She just didn’t know what had hurt more. The fact that she had lost a fight she never had a chance to win, or the wounds that are slowly killing her.

Definitely the wounds, that was for sure.

She dropped onto the cold hard floor, her hand still gripping the sword. In her dazed state, it was the only thing she could cling to.

If she lets go of it, so will her sanity.

A sudden coolness rushed over her face as the mask got removed, and she swore she could hear the men around her gasp. A shadow looped over her as the mask scattered away, breaking as it fell.

That fox, that damn fox was the last image she saw before her hand finally let go and her mind drifted away into nothingness.

_My wounds are my flesh, my losses are my ability._

_If this is how I go, then so be it._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Oh no.. my Jiu.. T_T
> 
> I promise this is the last time I'm keeping you all in the shadows. XD Your burning questions will be answered next update, I think. 
> 
> Hope you enjoyed this one still!


	8. Hold Me While You Wait

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Here’s a list of things I want to go over first.
> 
> -I’m sorry the update took this long. I went on a binge playing video-games with my friends to the point where I lost track of my days. Basically that was the reason why I couldn’t/didn’t find time to write.
> 
> -Thank you so much for the 1.3K reads. And ofc, the amazing comments. Each one of them means a lot to me.
> 
> -Holy hell, deukae’s back with another comeback. r.i.p my wallet and myself because the third day teaser really killed me. T_T
> 
> -The next update will be around the end of the month or so. 
> 
> -This chapter switches between POVs more than the usual. Sorry for that. 
> 
> -Hope you enjoy it nonetheless!

**-Hold Me While You Wait-**

Yoohyeon knew what she was doing. She was aware of every movement her body made, every swing of the sword she took, and more frighteningly, she knew she was taking each and every string of their life along with it.

She simply refused to stop. As much as the men continued to come, she was going to keep killing them.

_Maybe if I had reached there faster._

She scolded herself, slicing through one man’s chest. 

_No, I should have followed her straightaway._

Another slice. Another body down at her feet.

_I should have remained here in the first place._

Two more consecutive slices at whatever poor soul that was unlucky enough to be in her line of sight.

_I shouldn’t have left her alone._

Now, as she moved in a circle around the last remaining men, gripping her hand on the sword so tight she felt the tendons straining beneath it, she willed herself for control. 

To stop that hunger and the urge to kill. To stop her satisfaction and her need to see blood. _This is the last time, Jiu. I promise. Then I’ll come to you._

One swift jump through the air as she let the sword do its work, tearing through the flesh and body of anyone that came in its way. 

_Thud, Thud, Thud._

The bodies fell to the floor. As did her own sword, the loud consecutive _clangs_ echoing through the now quiet room.

She grabbed one of the dying men by his collar, slammed him against the ground and punched his face hard.

‘Who the hell do you work for?!’ 

‘You think you can just show up and take what you want?!” 

‘Lady Yoohyeon!’ A young trainee behind her shouted.

‘Do you think we’re idiots who can’t defend ourselves?!’

‘Lady Yoohyeon!’

‘You dare come into this dojo, thinking you’ll get out alive?!’

‘Yoohyeon!’ 

A second voice, deeper and more commanding. 

No doubt it was Master Taiyo.

For a moment, her heavy panting and breathing was the only thing anyone heard. Slowly, she tore her gaze away, but still did not let go of the man’s collar.

‘He’s already dead, Yoohyeon.’

____________________________________________________

Siyeon tried to get her way into the doors that separated them and Jiu, hoping she’d be able to see how bad she had been hurt. 

‘It’s no use. They won’t let me in. They said if they see my face one more time, they’ll stab me with a sleeping needle.’ Yoohyeon said from behind in a defeated tone.

‘How bad is it?’ 

‘It’s bad, but I.. I don’t know how..’ 

‘What happened then? Who did this?’ 

‘I don’t know. She was already like that when I got there.’ 

‘When you got where? Didn’t you two go back to the dojo together?’

Yoohyeon sat down on the engawa floorboard, dropping her head into her hands. Siyeon quickly descended the steps to the ground, so that she could face Yoohyeon better.

‘We did, but I didn’t have anything to defend at the time, so she made me head to the weapons room first.’ 

‘Who else was in the room? Just her?’ 

‘Her and sensei. There were other men. They kept asking for a seal and he wouldn’t give it to them.’ 

‘What seal? What men?’ 

‘I don’t know Siyeon! Stop asking me questions I don’t have the answers to. ‘

Yoohyeon shouted at her impatiently, face burning with anger.

This was the very first time anyone had heard Yoohyeon raise her voice and maybe in her defense, she had good reason to. 

When Siyeon didn’t give any kind of valid response, save for the shocked blank stare, she went back to dropping her head down, covering her eyes with her hands, already beginning to mutter incomprehensible words.

It took awhile for her to realise she wasn’t muttering, but rather stifling back her tears. 

She had only arrived. She didn’t know, let alone understand what had happened before she did. But if there was a chance those men escaped with what they came for, she’d have to track them down.

‘Yoohyeon, do you know if anyone escaped?’ Siyeon spoke, softly this time, not wanting to put more stress on the girl.

A long silent second passed.

Yoohyeon looked up at her with tired red eyes, then shook her head.

‘I...killed them all.’ 

Knowing Yoohyeon, the image of her, soaked in the blood of the men she slayed, surrounded by the of dozen dead bodies to whom it belonged, it was not that hard to imagine.

Yet, staring into her eyes now, the eyes of a girl who looks as vulnerable as porcelain on the edge of a table, close to breaking, she couldn’t imagine Yoohyeon hurting something even as small as a fly. 

Part of Siyeon was glad that Yoohyeon had been there when she did, but there was also another part that made her more cautious. Still, she could not spare any time to unpack all of that.

‘Those men. They talked as if they knew who Jiu was. Tell me, Siyeon. She’s not just a simple trainee, is she?’ 

Siyeon had no idea how or why Yoohyeon had come to that sort of conclusion and so she stood there looking, the sudden assumption taking her by surprise.

Her silence was just as obvious as an answer.

‘Who is she?’

Siyeon shook her head. ‘That’s not up for me to answer.’ 

‘Well, she’s not in any kind of condition to answer me, so you’ll have to do it.’

‘Jiu’s fighting her life in there and that’s what you’re worried about?’ She accused, the harshness in her voice from before returning with it.

She knew Yoohyeon wasn’t the type to be that selfish, but anything that could shut her up then, she had to say it. 

‘If anything, those men could be here for whatever sinful misdoing you did in the past, only it was Jiu who ended up paying the price for it.’ 

That seemed to have struck a nerve in Yoohyeon as she reached for the nearest sword that had scattered away and aimed it at Siyeon’s chest. 

‘I dare you to say that again.’

‘Don’t do this, Yoohyeon. This is neither the time nor the place.’ 

‘Then tell me what I want to know.’

‘I can’t do that.’

‘Yes you can.’

‘But I won’t..’

‘I’ve killed men tonight, I no longer have remorse. One more wouldn’t make a difference.’

Siyeon used her thumb to flick an inch of her sword from its sheath, as if to warn her, but Yoohyeon’s eyes remained where they were.

‘How would killing me help your cause in any way?’

She waited a little longer, hoping those additional seconds would mean something. 

Anything. 

Only when it looked like there was nothing about her mind that would change, Siyeon let out a quiet sigh.

‘Fine. If that is what you want.’ 

She said at last, bringing her sword out and pressed it close to Yoohyeon’s own chest. The wind blew, as if it was anticipating more bloodshed. 

_For the sake of your life Yoohyeon, you better have some sense left in you after this._

____________________________________________

Yoohyeon regretted her own foolishness as soon as Siyeon’s sword came to her in simultaneous swings. The metallic sounds of contact echoed through the quarters, breaking the silence of the night. 

So much for saying she had no remorse.

It was not hard for her to realise the extent of skills to which Siyeon had. The way she let her body control the fight instead of her mind, the stern look in her eyes and the way she wasn’t reluctant to make the first move showed how broad the difference between their experiences were.

She had precision, her movements had clarity, and intent.

It wasn’t like her duel with Jiu at all. Maybe Jiu had been hesitant to fight her that first day, but Siyeon was not.

Even if Yoohyeon managed to go back and forth with the attacks, it soon became obvious that she was losing her footing. She staggered back, barely able to stand properly.

Her wild maneuver that worked on Jiu didn’t so much as make Siyeon flinch.

Maybe it was the unexpected surprise, or maybe her energy had finally run out, but all the swings she made missed badly, the last one giving Siyeon an opening to swing her sword up and cut Yoohyeon on the cheek.

The sharp pain was enough to distort her, as Siyeon got behind and kicked her in the back of her knees, pushing her to the ground.

She knelt one knee down on top of her, and pushed her face further into the ground, the roughness of the sand stinging the fresh wound on her cheek.

‘I know you are upset. But this is no excuse for you to act the way you just did.’

Yoohyeon struggled underneath in protest but Siyeon had much better strength than her.

Although a handful of people had already gathered to see their fight, she felt a sudden shift in the atmosphere as some students scattered away while the rest talked to each other in soft whispers.

That same familiar voice stood out among them.

‘What is all that noise?’ 

Siyeon released her hard grip on Yoohyeon and got up, dragging her along. They bowed down, having nothing else to do than to hope he hadn’t seen them fight merely seconds ago.

‘Yoohyeon and I had a little dispute, sensei.’ 

‘It seems what you and I call disputes are quite different, Siyeon .’ 

‘I apologise,sensei.’ Siyeon admitted.

‘The townspeople need our help, tonight more than most, and you two decided to use that precious time by fighting against each other?’ 

He walked towards them, and assessed the swords that laid a few feet in front of him. 

‘The fire’s still spreading, there are many more wounded that need to be tended to. But, if you must fight, for whatever reason it may be, I request that you fight outside. This part of the dojo is not made to see violence.’

It was the longest Yoohyeon had been quiet, as she tried to slow her heavy breathing. 

‘Kazuya.’ He called out to a younger boy that had been in the crowd watching them.

‘If I see either of them anywhere near the healing quarters within the next hours, I want you to come and inform me.’

Siyeon remained, her head still bowed down, but Yoohyeon glanced up without meaning to. 

‘But sensei, Jiu-’

‘Jiu is in good hands. The last thing they need is more noise to disrupt their concentration.’ Master Taiyo interrupted with a well reasonable argument.

The silence that passed next felt like an eternity to Yoohyeon. 

‘Have I made myself clear, you two?’

The two girls begrudgingly but obediently nodded and excused themselves out of the healing quarters, the sudden rush of night air cooling their sweat and blood stained faces. 

‘Why didn’t you tell sensei it was me who started the fight?’

Siyeon didn’t reply.

________________________________________

Dami closed the doors behind her as she entered Gahyeon's room, where Handong was tending to her, wiping and cleaning her face with a soft wet cloth.

The slow drips of water combined with Dami’s own footsteps woke the girl up, as she looked around, blinking weakly.

‘You two should help around, I’ll be fine.’ She managed to speak in her disorientated state. 

‘There’s more of your blood on the ground than inside of you. You don’t get to say you’re fine.’ 

Handong said, her voice sounding a little harsher than Dami had expected.

‘Didn’t I tell you to stop using those short swords? If you focus on one, you lose focus on another.’ 

‘Don’t put the blame on my babies. They saved my life.’

Handong opened her mouth to argue again but Dami got closer, putting a hand on her shoulder to stop her.

‘She’s learnt her lesson. She’ll be careful next time. Right?’ 

She spoke, if only to end the conversation and give both of the girls a well-needed rest.

Gahyeon went back to closing her eyes, but not before saying something that made Dami wonder if all the time spent fighting the roaring fire had messed up her hearing or if she had actually heard the girl right.

‘It’s okay. She’s irritated because I didn’t let her kiss me on the lips at the festival.’

At that, Handong tensed under her fingers.

‘What is she talking about?

‘It’s nothing. She’s talking nonsense.’ Handong replied hastily.

‘Now it’s nonsense? All this time, and you’re still hard to understand..’

The awkward silence that followed gave Dami a vague idea of their situation. At least she hopes she was guessing right.

She suppressed a smile, and walked over to the other side of the bed to sit down while Gahyeon had drifted back to sleep after dropping that verbal bomb.

Handong remained still, shifting her gaze between Dami and Gahyeon, and for a while the silence in the room became unbearable, even for Dami who has no idea what exactly was happening.

The curiosity on her face must have become evident as Handong spoke.

‘It’s a long story.’ She sighed, looking down at the wet cloth in her hands.

Whatever it was, seeing Handong’s hesitation, Dami knew it could be something serious. Neither of them owed her nothing. Even if she was eager to know what they were talking about, she had boundaries to respect. 

‘You don’t have to tell me if you don’t want to. I’ll pretend I heard nothing.’ 

‘No, it’s not like that. I was the one who made her promise we wouldn’t say anything to anyone until we made it official.’

‘Make what official?’

‘Our relationship.’ She began, putting her hand on Gahyeon’s head, stroking it gently.

‘But I guess she’s right, we’ll have to tell it sooner or later. Tonight probably is as good as any.’

The confession came out so fast and blunt that Dami didn’t know how to react or what to say.

‘I told you, it’s a long story.’ 

Dami shrugged. 

‘We’ve got a long night for you to say it, don’t we?’ 

_________________

Siyeon had never wanted to sleep this much in the short twenty five years of her life and judging by the way Yoohyeon had been yawning beside her in the last ten minutes, she was sure they were feeling the same.

The both of them sat with their backs against the water-well after washing themselves off, when in reality they should be patrolling the town and cleaning up the mess and the damage the attackers caused, but it seems their bodies had refused to cooperate altogether. 

So she took the opportunity to process the events of the long night. 

The fire was a distraction. That much was obvious now that she knew the full story. 

If those men recognised Jiu in whatever way they did, even if they weren’t there for her, they might not be just a random group of thieves. A common thief doesn’t just recognise her in an instant. That fact alone made her wonder if both Jiu and the seal all might be connected. She’d have to discuss it further with Master Taiyo. That is if he lets her into the dojo first.

And it didn’t seem like they were here for Yoohyeon either. 

‘Lady Siyeon.’ Yoohyeon began but Siyeon shook her head tiredly.

‘Don’t start that again, I might actually kill you this time if you do.’ 

‘No, I. It’s not about that.’ 

She gave a lazy side glance at her, wondering what else she could possibly be talking about, the fight probably nothing but a forgotten memory in Yoohyeon’s head.

‘How come Jiu became the district’s representative for the swordsmanship challenge and not….you?’ 

Siyeon squinted. Was this her way of sneaking the truth out of Siyeon or was she genuinely interested in the fact?

‘Why not Jiu?’ She replied protectively.

‘Well, Jiu has great swordplay, I know it firsthand but you’re clearly more skilled, any decent person could realise that, and so can Master Taiyo.’ 

‘Whatever comes out of my mouth next, do you think you will like it?'

‘Let me guess, it’s not up for you to answer.’ Yoohyeon said, rolling her eyes back in annoyance, then went back to sulking beside her.

‘I hate you.’ 

Siyeon smiled a little. She was more entertained than offended, if not intrigued at it.

‘You don’t mean that.’ 

‘I do. In a way. And the fact that you’re so good to me makes me feel like a bad person compared to you.’

‘You cannot just say stuff like that and expect me to understand.’ 

‘When we first met, when Bora and the others came to introduce themselves, when you came over, Jiu looked so…’ 

‘Happy.’ 

‘Happy?’ 

They both said at the same time, then shared a laugh.

‘I wanted to be the one to make her smile. I know it’s a lot of me to ask, considering we didn’t even know each other that much at the time, but, I did.’ 

‘You know what I wanted to do to you that day?’ 

‘What?’ 

‘I wanted to beat the hell out of you with that damn wooden sword.’ 

‘Why?’

‘You already disarmed her, and yet you kept advancing on her. The only reason I let go of the matter was because I trusted Jiu and didn’t want to ruin her reputation.’

‘Why would it-’ 

‘You know I’m not the person you’ll get your answers from but, know this, for me, her life comes first before mine. I swear on her own life.’ 

They stayed quiet for a long time, neither of them knowing what to say or do next. Yet a sense of understanding had passed between them. They both knew it even without having to say it out loud. 

Siyeon didn’t really want to admit it to herself, but at least when it came to Jiu, she’d have Yoohyeon to trust too. Because that much, they could agree on.

_All that she did, she did it for Jiu. Without even thinking twice._

Siyeon was suddenly reminded of the blood of many men she had slain that night, wondering if that kind of blood could be washed away just as easily as any other.

The responsibility of having ended someone’s life was heavier than she had expected, even if it was for a good cause. 

She didn’t know how Yoohyeon had handled it, and she also didn’t know if that was a good thing or a bad thing.

Only after a while when it felt like Siyeon was close to falling asleep if she didn’t do something productive then, she stood up and dusted herself off, extending her hand out for Yoohyeon to take it.

‘Siyeon, she’ll be okay, right?’ 

‘If there’s anyone who can survive an injury like you told me, it’ll be her.’ 

Yoohyeon nodded, but she didn’t look convinced. 

‘We should go help out, the fire has been controlled but the hard part is the rebuilding and fixing that comes afterwards. That Kazuya’s got a sharp eye, so don’t even think about sneaking back inside.’

‘I wasn’t going to. I’m not as troublesome as you think I am .’ 

Siyeon smiled, extending her already outstretched hand.

‘Come on, we’ll make ourselves useful for once then.’

_________________________________

The night stretched on as long as Yooheyon could remember. After what felt like an eternity of waiting for the healers to finish treating Jiu and stitching her body back up, they were both allowed back into the dojo to see her. 

They listened through the healer’s explanation but it wasn’t until the last of their conversation that Yoohyeon’s attention focused back to where she was.

‘It will be sometime before she wakes up. If she goes through the night, the worst will be over. So no more fighting with each other, got it?’ 

The healer, -having witnessed the commotion they had caused hours ago- warned them.

The embarrassment finally settled in, and Yoohyeon could only bow down in shame and guilt.

‘Lady Siyeon, will you kindly help me gather any able-men you can find? I need all that I can to check on the rest of the wounded.’ 

Siyeon bowed down, and even though she looked like she didn’t want to be anywhere but here, she obliged.

‘As you wish, Akagi sensei.’ 

Siyeon turned around to leave, but stopped when she neared Yoohyeon.

‘Back at the festival, I meant what I said when I said she’s the happiest when she’s with you. Take care of her for me.’

With that, she passed behind the building, the sounds of her footsteps slowly disappearing as she went.

Yoohyeon slid the doors open to Jiu’s room, and it reminded her of the first night when she woke up in the dojo. 

The room was bare, save for a small cabinet to keep medicinal supplies and the bed in the corner where Jiu now slept. A candlelight burned on top of the cabinet, its flames threatening to go out even with what little wind there was inside.

Yoohyeon looked at Jiu’s face for the first time, swallowing hard as she did so.

Even under those heavy sheets of blankets and bandages, even after battling men twice as big as her, Jiu looked as beautiful as the day Yoohyeon met her. 

Her chest slowly rose and fell, and as Yoohyeon sat cross-legged in front of her sleeping figure, she found herself watching closely at her, part of her so afraid that if she had turned her gaze away, she’d slip away from her again.

She didn’t know her heart could ache this much until that moment. She contemplated whether or not she should hold Jiu’s hand because she did not want to do it without her permission.

Still, she found it hard to control herself when it comes to Jiu. 

She could never resist when it came to her. 

_Who are you, Jiu?_

Tiredness came over her, but she forced herself to stay awake, lying down next to Jiu on the cold floor.

_Let me keep my promise to you, Jiu. I still have so much to tell you._

_If I could trade all of my tomorrows for just one yesterday, if it means I could be there for you, and protect you. I would._

_If I could wake you up and tell you all that I want to, I would._

Instead, all she could do was hold her hand and wait.

And wonder how her life had turned out this way. Why all those thoughts echoed in her head for a stranger probably only helped her out of kindness. Which was the more painful part now that she thinks about it.

Strangers. That was what they had been.

Now? She doesn’t even know anymore.

Rain had begun to pour outside, yet it was hard to appreciate the coolness and the calmness it gave when everything inside of her was burning up with worry and regret. 

Holding Jiu’s warm hand was what calmed Yoohyeon. That rhythmic beat of her heart she could feel through her wrists was what calmed her.

She counted the number of breaths Jiu took throughout the night, and it wasn’t until the rain quieted down that she started to lose sense of time and the counts she made and slowly fell asleep, too drained to do anything at all.

_________________________________

‘And the casualties?’ Master Taiyo asked Siyeon, who sat across him in his new temporary room on the other side of dojo. She had gone there to report Jiu’s condition only to be asked a million more questions in return.

‘Still counting, sensei.’

‘And the explosion?’

‘I asked around. They wanted to open the main safe, but only the surrounding rooms had blown up.’

He stroked his chin in thought, something Siyeon only sees when he’s in distress.

‘What is it that they wanted, sensei?’

He was not affected by the question like Siyeon had expected, which was to tell her to not intrude in matters that did not concern her. Instead he let out a small inconspicuous sigh, and answered her.

‘I suppose it is time I confess. I was planning on setting up a meeting with the students to say it but..’ He cleared his throat.

Siyeon sat up straighter and waited.

‘Two months ago, when the emperor announced his abdication, he was afraid that it might have given his enemies the chance to manipulate their way to get the throne in his absence.’ 

‘His absence? He’s just resigning, is he not?’ 

‘He is handing over the authority to rule the country, it is mandatory of him to take precautions. So, he had informed all the districts to protect his royal seal. Last month, Jiu led the mission to collect it from the second District. That same day they found Yoohyeon.’

It seems an attack of some sort or another always followed whenever the seal was involved, but now it made sense.

The Royal Seal that belonged to The Emperor and his imperial court by association. It was used to show the approvals of important district matters, including this abdication and also the ascension of the country’s future emperor.

‘Those men. They were here for the seal then?’

‘I’m afraid so.’

‘Who were they? No, how did they know it was here?’ 

‘I will admit, I have to investigate it further. I have already contacted my informants.’

‘Have you considered that it might have been Yoohyeon?’ 

The words were out of her mouth before she could take them back. Master Taiyo stiffened but he simply shook his head in disapproval.

‘If you saw the way she had finished the rest of the men, you would not be asking me that question.’

She went unnaturally silent, thinking.

‘What is it, Siyeon?’ 

‘If what you had said is true, this isn’t the first time she had lost control. I do not want to say it, but do you not think she might be dangerous?’ 

‘She has been around enough for you to decide that for yourself.’

‘A man can be a monster no matter what he looks like.’

Siyeon hated herself for saying that but she knew her defense had been within reason. Just because the both of them had made up moments ago didn’t mean she trusted Yoohyeon completely. The way Master Taiyo had dismissed the possibility of Yoohyeon being involved was also unlike him.

Clearly there would be more he’s holding onto. 

‘Rest for the night. You have done well, Siyeon. All of you.’ He said, which was his way of stopping her from meddling.

Feeling like there was no point in pushing the matter, Siyeon bowed down and got up to leave. 

‘And Siyeon, please make sure you write the letter and send it by tonight. The courier will arrive in a few hours.’

A heavy burden tugged at her heart as she bowed, a lump suddenly forming in her throat. Her legs took her to her own room when her mind was entirely somewhere else.

How will she have to begin? How much information will she have to add? Will they even be worried?

That is provided that they even read the letter.

Time and time again, she had wished for this moment to never come. 

The letter really was not the root of her problems. It was the person to whom she was going to have to send it to.

It wasn’t everyday where you write a personal letter to the country’s most corrupt and manipulative man, the man feared by the Emperor himself. 

_The Imperial Lord Matsumoto._

A man who was known to have no heart and mercy, who wouldn’t even think twice about oppressing his people just so that he could rule his land the way he wants.

A man who was not reluctant to exile his only daughter, making sure the princess never returns to his kingdom without his acceptance.

Siyeon could not understand how a man like him could bore a daughter who was full of heart and kindness, the complete opposite of who he was. 

Everytime she thinks of it, the cruelty of it all makes her realise the world was not made fair for everyone.

What was worse was that she felt so hopeless and frustrated that she couldn’t do anything to help about it.

Even if she could, The Princess would never let her.

Because at the end of the day, he is still her father.

Jiu’s father.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The long awaited mystery is finally here XD It has been such a while since the name has been mentioned that I sincerely hope you understand what I was trying to reveal in Jiu’s past.
> 
> Until next time!


	9. So Will I/ The Trail of Memories

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter's a little...different, but I'm sure you'll like it. I know I did.
> 
> In other news, Miss Lee Siyeon had officially killed and bias wrecked me with her 'blond adonis' look this era.
> 
> Anyways, Enjoy!

**-So Will I-**

_[Three months earlier]_

_The last remaining students crossed the entrance door into the dojo and Handong almost couldn’t believe at the sight of the person that had walked in with them._

_Lady Gahyeon._

_The cute and cheery Lee Gahyeon, the youngest member in their year, who somehow during the month-long mid-term break the students had been given, managed to become more mature looking and..attractive._

_And it wasn’t like the cuteness had become any less, the new traits were simply additions to her ever bright personality._

_Her face lit up when she saw Handong in the crowd. She_ _smiled, dropping her travelling bag on a nearby bench. Handong still had hers on her shoulders, the double straps on the backpack had lost some of the colour from age but it works just as fine as the day she had gotten it._

_‘Lady Handong.’ She said, bowing her head down slightly._

_The formality sounded very strange after all the years they had trained together, but since Gahyeon was younger than them by a couple years, they decided it’d be better to address each other as intended when needed._

_Now was one of those times, because other students were present nearby._

_‘Lady Gahyeon. How have you been?’_

_‘The trip back here was exhausting, but nothing a good nap wouldn’t fix. How were your holidays?’_

_‘I helped out at my parents’ farm. And then spent some time with a friend when I wasn’t.’ She said, smiling, for some reason._

_They’ve reunited this way more than enough times in the past few years, and yet this was the first time Handong had to calm her beating heart on seeing her classmates._

_No, it couldn’t be because of her classmates. Dami had just walked past her and her heart had barely done anything out of ordinary._

_The problem was Gahyeon._

_A very adorable problem._

_‘How about you?’ She said, clearing her throat, and with it the weird thoughts in her head._

_Gahyeon shrugged, a bleak look spreading across her soft, slightly sun-burned face._

_‘You know my father. He’s still trying to make me return to my honorary studies after I graduate. He said if not, the three years that I had spent in school would become useless.’_

_‘Then what is the point of graduating? You can’t be a scholar and samurai at the same time.’_

_‘That’s what I told him.’ Gahyeon sighed, shaking her head down, before continuing._

_‘Maybe I should have just stayed in like Jiu. Even if we have no idea why she always does that.’_

_It was truly one of the district’s ever-wondering questions, why Jiu never goes back home and instead decides to spend every holiday here at the dojo._

_Since Jiu wasn’t really the type to open up about her past, so they left the mystery exactly as that._

_A mystery._

_‘So, you said you were with friends?’ Gahyeon hoisted her bag up on her shoulders once more and began to lead the way back to their common house._

_‘A friend. He’s the son of my parents’ friends, and the like.’_

_‘You mean like a childhood friend?’_

_‘Well, not really. We had just met. He’s older than me but we’re both the first born of our families, so, you know the drill.’_

_‘What drill?’_

_‘We’re to get married. Me when I become a samurai, and him when he finishes his scholar studies and becomes a scholar.’_

_Somehow their walk had slowed to a halt, with Gahyeon turning her body to face Handong better, brows furrowing in thought._

_‘Do you want to get married to him?’_

_‘I..don’t know. I have never even been with anyone before.’_

_‘Why don’t you try being with someone then?’_

_Handong had to laugh._

_‘How could I possibly do that, Gahyeon-shi?’_

_‘If you want to try dating a scholar beforehand, I’m right here.’_

_The heart rate that she had tried so hard to control before sprung back up into action. She gripped onto her backpack straps tighter._

_‘Pardon?’_

_Gahyeon looked away in embarrassment, finally realising the implication of what she had said._

_'I..I mean. I could help you out with the scholar part.’_

_Courage came to Handong at the wrong time as she said the next words._

_‘What if I don’t want the scholar part?’ That made Gahyeon look up at her._

_‘Then what part do you want?’_

_‘I want the dating part.’_

_____________________________________

_It has been three days since their last encounter and Handong was just about ready to bury herself into the very ground she stood on, feeling a wave of regret every time she thinks about it._

_So far she had only come up with one reasonable explanation for her behaviour._

_She’s finally going crazy._

_Why else would she have said something as blunt and straightforward as that if she wasn’t?_

_She didn’t know who to blame first. Gahyeon for bringing up the absurd suggestion in the first place, or herself for worsening the situation._

_‘How can you be such a fool, Handong?’ She grunted, drawing up another arrow into the nook of the bow in her hands._

_‘A fool, but a pretty fool.’_

_The arrow fell limply onto the grass as she whirled around to see who had said it._

_Gahyeon, of course._

_Now that whatever had happened between the two of them had happened, suddenly the usual flirtatious jokes don't sound amusing anymore._

_Whereas she would have come up with an equally flirty response, it only made her blush._

_‘That day, about what I said-’ Handong began, bending down to pick up the fallen arrow._

_‘Let’s do it.’_

_She straightened herself, pausing for a moment too long._

_‘Let’s date.’_

_She kept still, trying to muster up some kind of appropriate reply, but her mind came out blank._

_‘Let’s date.’ Gahyeon repeated, ‘It’s better to be prepared for a marriage than to just jump right into it.’_

_‘And what we’re doing isn’t jumping right into it?’_

_Why was she even complaining? She was the one who had asked for it. A questionable decision on her part, but still._

_‘We’ve known each other for a long time. What’s there to be weird about?. It’s not like we’re going to actually date.’_

_‘And then what?’_

_‘And then we break up. Sort of. You go marry that boy of yours, and I’ll… I’ll be happy knowing that-’_

_‘What are you doing, Gahyeon?’ Handong said softly._

_‘I’m helping you.’_

_Then, quietly, she added._

_‘Also I don’t like the idea of you being with someone you don’t even know.’, which really had nothing to do with what they were talking about, yet she would be lying if it didn’t make her feel appreciated._

_‘It’s not like I’m marrying him straightaway. We’ll have plenty of time to know each other.’_

_‘But you won’t have anything else to compare to.’_

_‘And you think you can help me with that?’_

_‘Something is better than nothing at all.’_

_The evening’s wind cut across the field, sending a chill down her spine._

_Handong’s eyes lingered around, at the tree branches that swayed, down at her own clothes that fluttered as the wind picked up its pace, then back at Gahyeon, who was staring up at her, waiting for her answer._

_Handong wondered if they were feeling the same thing. She doubted they were._

_Because all she could feel was excitement. However reluctant she may be, part of her wanted it.  
_ _  
The opportunity was right there, in front of her, waiting._ _  
_

_Finally, she sighed._

_‘No commitment. Just experience?’_

_Gahyeon nodded._

_‘No commitment. Just experience.’_

_She should have thought it through, no, she should have known better._

_Why had she believed it was some kind of childhood game they could play and stop to go home when the night sets?_

_Why did she think it could fill the hole in her heart that hadn’t even begun to exist until that first morning she met Gahyeon again?_

_It was anything but a game._

_Only they were blind with stupidity to not realise it. The matters of the heart were not to be toyed with._

_Little did they know, they would have come to learn of it the hard way._

____________________________

Jiu fell in and out of consciousness for the next few days. She could barely make sense of her surroundings, where nights would magically blend into days without her knowing, while her head would always be in a state of dizziness during the rare times she was awake. 

She would dream, dream of exactly what she could not remember. She would see the blurry faces of the people that always seem to be beside her at all times. 

Faces she couldn’t recognise, and faces she could.

Were those people in her dreams? Or were they also fragments of her imagination? 

The only thing that seemed to separate the reality from illusion was the pain.

The sharp throbbing pains that nibbled their way to spread throughout her whole body. She could feel it from places she didn’t know she could until then. With each involuntary breath she took, her whole body burned and there was nothing she could do to ease it but to wait.

Not for the pain to subside, but for her to fall back to sleep when she could no longer be conscious enough to bear it.

One thing she knew for sure, was that there would be someone who would always wait with her, stroke her, hold her hand and even wipe away the beads of sweat on her face when the fever comes.

On the fourth day, her head finally cleared and she was able to see properly for the first time. Rays of the morning sun filtered through the thin white parchment of the door to her room. 

No, not her room. Just a room.

A rooster crowed in the far distance, a relieved reminder that her hearing was still intact and with it her other senses slowly came back.

Which didn’t seem like much, but for her, she felt as happy as what she would imagine when a blind person could see again.

She tried to lift her head up, a horrible mistake, the nausea took over, eyes getting watery all of a sudden.

‘Lie still, Jiu.’ The softest voice spoke out to her, the same person slipping their hand inside the blankets to grip Jiu’s own.

The pain came again, this time on her hand, and on instinct she pulled it back out of its grasp.

Blinking away the tears, she risked a glance up to see who was beside her. She would have smiled if she had the energy for it, or if it didn't hurt to do so.

‘Yoo..hyeon.’ 

The dry throat and the bitter coarse feeling in her mouth was another problem, she had also realised.

Yoohyeon broke into a smile, leaning down on her and stroking her hair gently.

‘You’re okay. You’re okay.’ She kept saying. Her face shaded Jiu from the sun that seemed to be getting brighter by the second, but even against the light she could see what appeared to be a small cut on the side of Yoohyeon’s cheek, the corners still red and slightly swollen.

‘You’re okay, Jiu.’

Jiu managed a nod, and was rewarded with another wave of nausea.

Gathering what little energy she had, her hand slowly reaching up to touch the wound.

Both her hands were thickly bandaged, no doubt from when she had grabbed the sword and if the tightening in her chest and abdomen were any indication, they probably were bound too.

Yoohyeon seemed to have understood what she meant to say as she gently took hold of Jiu’s hand with both of her own.

‘It was just a scratch. I’ll be fine. I’m not hurt anywhere else.’

Jiu rested her head back down on the pillow, looking up at the ceiling above.

‘I have to go get Akagi sensei. She told me to inform as soon as you-’

‘Stay with me...’

The words came out foreign to her ears. Her voice a pleading request, almost to the point of begging.

Lacking of its usual firmness.

 _Weakling_. A voice called out from the back of her mind. She hated that she remembered who the voice once belonged to.

‘Please.’ 

_Fragile._

_Just like your mother, Minji. Nothing but a disgrace to the clan. To the family._

This time when the tears came, she didn’t blink them away. She closed her eyes, and let them fall. As much as they wanted.

_Weakling. Fragile. Disgrace._

Those words rang around her head until her mind becomes numb and thick with dreams.

All the while wishing that the hand holding her tight would never let her go.

______________________________________________

**-The Trail of Memories-**

Kim Bora stepped out through the broken remnants of what used to be festival stalls, lanterns and decorations, onto the wet mushy grass drained by the week’s rain and water, wishing her pounding headache that comes and go would either come or...go. 

Lee Siyeon appeared from the other side of the field the same way she had, drinking heavily from a leather waterskin she had brought.

The once green field was in disarray, stained by black soot and dirt. The townspeople had requested for volunteering help and Master Taiyo had sent the healthiest ones out of them to offer it. 

‘Would you look at all the mess? We’ll never finish cleaning even after we graduate.’ Bora complained, running a hand through her hair by a force of habit, wincing in pain when the stitch on the side of her forehead pulled. 

Siyeon gave a sympathetic wince, as if she too could feel the pain.

‘Ouch, that looked like it hurts.’ She commented, handing her the waterskin.

‘Of course it does, you idiot.’ 

Bora took the waterskin, wondering where the sudden temper had come from.

‘Hey if you want to be angry, be angry at whoever did this mess. It’s not like I’m the one who started a fire and made a town almost go into extinction.’

The silence that followed hung in the air awkwardly. She could only stare back, clearly not expecting a response, let alone a response as such.

The reality of what had happened was still hard to accept, it would have been too soon to be joking about it.

‘My apologies, Lady Sua. I didn’t mean to.’ Siyeon bowed down, but she was not asking for any kind of apologies. 

‘I know you meant nothing. And you don’t need to apologize.’

In truth, a joke or two would have been nice for a change. There was too much dread and grief going around, she didn’t need more of that. 

She gulped down the water, the coolness soothing her dry throat. It wasn’t until she put the cap on and gave the waterskin back to Siyeon that she realised she was being stared at the whole time. 

‘What?’ She asked.

Siyeon seemed to have caught herself, as she shook her head in dismissal.

‘Nothing. Let us just get this over with.’

She looked away before the awkwardness could stew any further.

Soon they were collecting wooden pieces into tall heaps, waiting for the carts to carry them away, for them to be reused or thrown away, whatever the carpenters would see fit.

They dragged and pushed the rest of the damaged wood and debris as best as they could for the better half of their afternoon. 

When the town clock chimed five bells, they were still cleaning up the black soot on the ground. 

That was also when they decided to rest and continue on the next day.

Bora stretched herself, twisting and turning in place, her eyes landing on Siyeon, who had her eyes closed and her head tilted skyward, hands crossed behind her head. 

And she was smiling.

Bora found the sight peaceful.

The ruins behind, the orange clouds above and most of all, the girl standing in front.

_It looks like a painting.  
_

_She looks like a painting._

‘Are you just going to stand and stare at me like that all evening, Sua-ssi?’

Bora’s heart raced as she swallowed thickly, suddenly not knowing what to do with her two free hands, or her body in general.

‘I wasn’t-’ She tried to argue but words seemed to have gotten lost in her.

‘Right right.’ Siyeon teased, walking over to her, a little laugh trailing along. 

‘I was watching the evening’s view, not your pretty face.’

Siyeon stopped walking.

‘You think I’m pretty?’

‘I didn’t say that.’

Siyeon smiled again. Bora couldn’t help but return the smile, feeling warm in the cheeks, despite being made a fool just a moment ago.

‘We should go before it gets dark, come on.’

They walked the way back to the dojo side by side, a few distance behind the other students, with Bora trying to keep up with Siyeon’s long strides.

She caught up only when the girl slowed to pull her hair up into a bun, struggling as she did so.

‘You should cut it a little. The hair’s getting longer.’ Bora said, and Siyeon shook her head immediately.

‘I won’t. Jiu said-’ She paused, becoming quiet. ‘Nevermind. It’s not important.’ 

They began walking again.

‘How’s Jiu?’ Since she was one of the few students who weren’t gravely injured, she barely had time to visit anyone during the days after the attack. 

‘She lost a lot of blood. She sleeps all day, and all night. Akagi sensei told us she’ll have a full recovery. We just don’t know how long it’ll take.’

‘Jiu’s a fighter. She’ll go through this.’ Bora reassured.

She dropped the topic and the act of talking altogether after that, mentally reminding herself to visit Jiu first thing tomorrow morning. 

When they reach the dojo, she doesn’t go to dinner. She goes for a walk, past the training grounds, the kitchens and ends up back at their living quarters, into their common house.

The house that used to be bustling with their sounds and chatter was now isolated, lanterns swaying, the metal hangers that held them creaking unnaturally loud in the silence.

She didn’t think she would be bothered by the silence as much as she had hoped. It felt empty. 

_Hollow._

_Aching._

Forcing herself up the stairs to the second floor, she sneaked a glance back at the rooms below, at Jiu’s empty room, a certain memory from years back springing up in her mind.

_-Three Years Ago-_

_The groundskeeper pushed the doors open into their guesthouse, with Bora and Minji following in, trying not to flinch at the young boy tugging on the man’s pants with his small fist, staring up at the both of them with dark blank eyes._

_‘Guesthouse’ was an understatement. It was merely a worn out two-storey building isolated far out on the host’s estate. Their host, the head of the house, who had been their mission client, insisted that they stay the night even after their purpose there had been served, mainly because their particular part of the town was not safe to travel at night._

_‘There’s one room down here, and another upstairs. I had left some lanterns in case you need to use them. It isn’t much but I hope it is decent enough for a night’s sleep.’ The groundskeeper told them._

_Bora looked down at the boy again, at his cold blank eyes. Something about them made her feel uncomfortable. She was too busy staring at his eyes; she didn’t see the boy’s lips move._

_But Minji must have heard him as she asked. ‘Really? You like this house?’_

_A disinterested but polite question, simply to amuse the child. The boy nodded._

_‘But don’t anger the ghost lady that plays the koto. She doesn’t like strangers.’_

_‘The what?’ Bora blurted out, the little hairs on the back of her neck rising._

_The groundskeeper’s eyes widened for a split second before he caught himself and let out a nervous laugh._

_‘It’s just nonsense the older boys of the house say to scare younger ones like him.’ He shuffled towards the door that they came back in, pulling the boy with him along._

_‘Please do not get spooked, you know how kids are.’ He said, and then disappeared into the dark of the night, the door shutting close behind him, screeching when the bottom scraped against the floor_

_They stared at the door, then exchanged glances with each other for a long while. Bora hadn’t been that close to Minji at the time, it was one of their, if not, their first mission alone together._

_Bora cleared her dry throat to speak, breaking into the silence._

_‘I..We’re..We’re warriors in training. It’s going to take a lot more than a children’s ghost story.’ said her voice, but her wobbling knees begged to differ._

_Minji nodded in agreement. If she was as crept out as Bora was feeling, she hid it well._

_‘You’re right, Lady Bora. Are you scared of ghosts?’_

_Bora let out a laugh, an almost nervous laugh that sounded eerily similar to the groundskeeper’s laugh moments ago._

_‘Of course not. You?’_

_‘I don’t think so.’_

_And just because she couldn’t help herself, a horrible decision which she would learn to know a few hours later, Bora said, ‘I’ll take the room upstairs.’_

_‘As you wish.’_

_‘Well then. See you tomorrow morning, Lady Minji.’_

_‘Likewise.’_

_They bowed down, then turned around to go their own ways.  
_

_____________________________

_Later that night, Bora woke up to the sounds of glass being tapped on her bedroom window._

_It also didn’t help that she was on the second floor, and that there was a possible koto playing ghost lady lurking around somewhere in the house._

_Must have been the wind. And the tree branches. She told herself._

_She swallowed her fear, and squeezed her eyes shut._

_Then, as if waiting for her to be awake, the melodious gentle plucks of an instrument being played filled the air, then into her ears._

_She could swear on her whole career that she wasn’t imagining it._

_But she doesn’t want to._

_‘Spirits, I’m slowly losing my mind.’ She muttered, burying herself under the blankets once more._

_‘See no evil, hear no evil.’ She reminded herself again._

_I’m just hearing things. Nothing but paranoia. The mind likes to play trick on people when they’re paranoid, because considering the other option would have been-_

_‘Speak no evil.’ A rough voice echoed through the room._

_It wasn’t hers. She wished it had been her._

_Her heart jumped to a start, cold sweat breaking out on her forehead as she removed the covers in one swift movement, and made a dash to the door, her legs moving in a rhythm of its own._

_She stumbled through the hallway, feeling her way to the darkness as the instrumental music became louder and louder as she ran, which was definitely not the result she had hoped to achieve when she decided to run._

_‘Kim Minji!’ She shouted as she began to descend down the stairs, cold feet tapping against the wooden boards._

_She thought she had missed the last few steps when her body came into a hard contact with another._

_All she heard next were panicked shouts from the other person._

_‘Get off me! Get off me! You koto lady! Get off me!’_

_The person thrashed out in the dark, scuttling away from her. It was, she realised with a somewhat relief, Minji’s voice._

_‘It’s just me. It’s Bora. It’s me.’ She fumbled through with her own words, getting on her knees, reaching out to grab Minji._

_The moment Bora found Minji, whose skin felt cold with fear-stricken sweat, their surroundings fell to a hushed silence._

_One second, two seconds, and then…_

_A piece of melody, slowly becoming distorted, and then CRACK!_

_The koto broke into a loud splinter._

_‘Run! Run! Run!’_

_‘Shit! Shit! Shit!’_

_Their voices toppled over one another as they put their paralyzed legs back to work, exiting the house in more frantic screams._

_The outside world looked as cold and creepy as the inside, but at least they were no longer sheltered under the same roof with a koto-playing, wisdom speaking ghost lady._

_Only when their lungs burned and their throats became raw, they stopped to take a rest, hiding behind a safe-looking oak tree._

_Bora barely heard Minji speak anything over her ringing ears and heaving breaths._

_‘You..you heard the music too, right? I’m not going crazy, right?’_

_Bora shook her head._

_‘No what? No, you didn’t hear the music or no, I’m not going crazy?’_

_‘No, you’re not going crazy, because I heard the music too.’_

_Minji relaxed at that a little bit._

_‘Ohh, that’s a relief.’_

_‘What happened to you? I thought you weren’t afraid of ghosts.’_

_‘Apparently, I am. I just..I have never met one to be aware of it.’ She breathed out, placing a hand on her chest, pressing it in pain._

_The trees overhead brushed against one another with another rush of the wind, groaning in protest at being touched. Leaves rattled beneath their unmoving feet and Bora didn’t dare move an inch, or look behind._

_Slowly, Bora whispered only loud enough for Minji to hear._

_‘That’s it. I’m close to having a heart attack.’  
_

_A moment’s pause. A heavy breath._

_‘We might be safe here. What if she can’t come out of the house?’ Minji whispered back, her eyes fixed on the path that led to the house._ _  
_

_‘Where’s the logic behind that? Ghosts don’t need to open doors. They can pass through walls.’_

_‘Then what should we do?’_

_Bora thought, with frightened intensity, to come up with two choices. They could either stay awake for the rest of the night and be tired on their walk back home tomorrow morning, or they could pick up their courage from where they had left behind and deal with the problem like proper adults._

_What they were doing now felt neither proper nor adult-like._

_‘Maybe we should sleep together.’_

_‘I mean..in the same room. Or in the living room.’ She added._

_‘I think it’s a reasonable idea for such a time.’ Minji’s approval came in another whisper._

_And so they trekked the short distance back to the house, heart rates increasing the closer they got to the perimeter._

_Only they would be foolish enough to go back into a house that has a ghost for a resident, but what else could they do?_

_Minji volunteered to enter the room first, on the promise that Bora holds onto her from behind during the time. They quietly crept inside, and lit up one of the lanterns the groundskeeper had given them. the light illuminating both of their faces as Minji held it up on the mantle._

_They didn’t want to talk about what happened, they didn’t want to think, they just wanted to sleep._

_So the morning would come and they could forget about tonight. The comfort of being together lessened the fear in them, and they found solace in the fact._

_‘Goodnight, Sua-yah.’_

_‘Goodnight, Jiu.’_

_That night was the very first time they had dropped their honorifics with each other and decided to use the nicknames they had been given. Who would have thought the moment would have such an eventful memory to it?_

_Tiredness got the better of her, as she snuggled closer to Jiu, and prayed it wouldn’t get awkward the next morning._

_She spent some time awake, subconsciously expecting for some kind of comeback from the koto lady, but the melodies never came, nor the voices, only the winds, and the soft breathing sounds Minji makes as she slept next to her, one hand tightly wrapped around Bora’s garment._

_She listened to the steady rhythm of the sound, and counted them like she would imaginary sheep whenever she couldn’t sleep at nights._

_One, two, three, four, . . . ._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A bit of teaser/spoiler for the next week’s chapter.
> 
> You'll finally get to see a short (or long idk) glimpse into the lives of Jiu and Siyeon before their training years and of course, the tragedy behind her exile. 
> 
> What you'll need - A box of tissues at the ready. 
> 
> Until next time!


	10. Fates That We Share

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Fair Warning - The chapter is twice as long as usual. I don't know how that happened.
> 
> EDIT [15th Feb 2021] - As of 1st Feb 2021, OP's country has been declared for a state of emergency due to military seize against its civilian leaders [Coup d'etat] which means that any forms of communications [landlines, data, mobile services] can be cut off without warning. There might be an actual war. IDK. Cross my fingers that doesn't happen. 
> 
> If I do not update or reply to comments, such is the reason. Please don't worry. I'll be okay. (Hopefully).

**_-Fates That We Share-_ **

_[Four Years Ago]_

_‘I win.’ Minji heard Siyeon whisper beside her._

_They stood on the far side of the hallway, avoiding her father’s generals and lieutenants. Even though no one else except the council members was allowed inside the meeting room, it was a habit of Siyeon to wait together with her until she entered._

_Minji didn’t need to ask what Siyeon was talking about. She already knew. She lazily opened her resting eyes and raised her eyebrows, feigning confusion._

_‘What?’ She whispered back, leaning on the wall, arms crossed in front of her._

_‘You said you wouldn’t be sleepy even if you hadn't gone to bed last night. And I told you that you will definitely be and then you-’_

_Minji smiled sheepishly. Siyeon stopped with a realisation and instead sighed._

_‘Ah, why do I even bother with you?’_

_‘I’m only kidding. Of course, I remember.’_

_‘So I won?’ She said, this time with a mixture of relief and joy._

_‘Yes, you did.’_

_‘So that means you’ll come with me to accompany your mother to the city after this?’_

_‘Yes, if my father ever shows up.’_

_Lord Matsumoto was known to be a punctual man, among other things, so his lateness to his own meeting came unexpectedly to them._

_From where they were, Minji could hear the members of the council discussing their recent affairs, most of which she had already been educated and had understood._

_Being a few years behind in political studies and many years younger than them, she has yet to earn their trust and respect, the title as her father’s trusted advisor and heir unredeemable to the men that ate war for breakfast._

_If her mother hadn’t insisted Minji take some time off instead of starting school, she would be one of those people discussing along with her father._

_An act that paved the way for Minji to make friends and have a normal childhood. As normal as anyone can be when they’re the daughter of an oppressive imperial lord._

_When princes and princesses her age would accompany their fathers on meetings and warfare events, Minji accompanied her mother on trips across the districts. Sometimes for pleasure and social, sometimes political and directional._

_Then came Lee Siyeon. They met during one of her mother’s visits to a friend’s town, The Heiwa District._

_Otherwise known as ‘Peace’. Simply because it was where deals, businesses, and agreements between districts under different authorities took place._

_A town run by no one and everyone. An individual entity of its own, and it's war-free people._

_Siyeon’s family was one of them. Their mothers had been childhood friends, but despite the bond and friendship they made, they had different financial supports and backgrounds._

_Yet her mother’s kind and collected presence never faltered, even when she got married to Minji's father. Known as a social butterfly among her peers, it was no surprise that she managed to maintain a lot of connections and acquaintances._

_Minji still remembers the day she first met Siyeon like it was yesterday. A young girl with the widest eyes and the biggest smile she had ever seen._

_Her cuteness was out of this world. Despite being a year younger than her, Siyeon seemed more mature and easygoing than anyone she had met._

_Maybe her exposure to the real outside world was partly responsible, but Minji liked to believe her charming nature was not trained but simply been there since birth._

_They played together that whole day, and when it was time for Minji and her mother to leave, Siyeon wouldn’t let go of her, tugging onto Minji by her dress._

_The adults found the sight adorable. Only after tons of candy and tons of promises that Minji would come to visit them very often, Siyeon gave in, tear-stained and snotty._

_‘You cried that day.’ Minji would tease years later._

_‘I did not.’ Siyeon would always argue, rolling her eyes in annoyance._

_‘Yes, you did.’_

_And so a rare but extraordinary friendship formed between the heir of a war-obsessed lord and that of a simple merchant family._

_Growing up, Siyeon tried her best to support her family’s business in any way that she was able to, but a young girl could only do much._

_So one day, when Minji had just finished her class, Siyeon and her mother came to their estate, instead of the other way around._

_She noticed two figures rushing into her mother’s guest room in the heavy evening rain._

_She dropped her books carelessly -something her tutor was going to scold her for the next day- and sneaked behind the doors to investigate._

_When she heard Siyeon’s mother’s voice from the other side, her curiosity peaked further._

_‘She turned eighteen last week. Her father is suggesting marriage. And I don’t want that for her.’_

_She strained her ears to listen in, then cursed at the falling rain for interrupting the rest of their conversation._

_‘...cleaning, cooking, garden’s work, whatever you want her to do, just-’_

_‘No.’ Her mother had replied firmly._

_For a moment, she felt nothing but tension and worry after assuming the worst, but her mother continued._

_‘Minji told me she’s skilled with the sword.’_

_There was a flicker of hesitation, or maybe it was confusion._

_Minji doesn't know swordplay because her father would rather order his samurai around to do the job for him. Siyeon was not supposed to know swordplay because she came from a nation without armed forces._

_'She is, a visiting family friend taught her last summer but she’s still inexperienced, I don’t know how it can be of help.’_

_‘It doesn’t matter. Minji’s going to join her father’s court next year when she turns twenty. Usually, he selects a few people to assist her during special occasions or trips across the nations.’_

_The two women must have understood each other because Minji heard Siyeon’s mother reply through the rain, voice slightly raised._

_‘What are you saying? Minji’s life is to not be toyed with. Especially not at my expense. She needs a strong and able person to protect her, not... Siyeon.’_

_‘Will you please listen until I finish?’_

_Minji lurked around the door, trying to find a better position to hear them._

_‘She’s a successor of his throne, so her father doesn’t believe in the act of having a single person taking in the responsibility. Nor does he want another person to look over Minji all the time. It’s only for times of court affairs. Merely a tradition that has been around.’_

_‘Then what of the other times?’_

_‘Siyeon’s presence is enough for Minji. She needs a friend.’_

_There was no immediate response, so Minji leaned closer to the door._

_‘How do I ever repay the debt to you?’_

_‘What debt? Did you drop your brain on the way here? After all these years, don’t say that. I’ll take in Siyeon, but I’ll send her to a proper dojo. We’ll pay for the dojo and the tuition.’_

_The rain roared on and Minji grunted in frustration, pressing her ears against the door this time. She was wondering why it had suddenly gotten quiet when her mother called out._

_‘Minji.’_

_She winced, her mind already imagining the lecture she was sure to get on how not to invade other people’s privacy and eavesdrop._

_‘Minji, come inside._

_If I make a run for it and deny the fact tha-_

_She shook her head in defeat. Who was she kidding? Her mother knows her more than Minji knows herself. She’ll just get another lecture on how not to run away from one’s mistakes._

_Neither of that happened when she timidly slid the door open to the room, skin-crawling from the cold wind, and quite possibly from the chance of getting scolded._

_‘I was just trying to-‘_

_Siyeon looked up at her from behind her mother while Minji blinked, her hand still holding out the door._

_‘Come say hello to Siyeon.’, was all that her mother said._

________________________________

_The following year without Siyeon’s company would have been dull and boring if it hadn’t been for the intense studying that had occupied the greater part of her days._

_‘There’s no time to even die, Minji, when your final examinations are near..’ Her tutor had once said to her when she dozed off in class one late afternoon._

_Her father made sure she’d graduate her last year in time for her place in the court, much to her dismay. She only stopped complaining about it to him because the response, where it should have given her relief just added to her headache._

_‘Complain it to your mother.’ He would always begin._

_‘It is not my fault she has spoiled you with her lifestyle. The path you’re destined to take is not the same. You’ll take my place one day, and I will not let my nation fall into ruins because of your incompetence.’_

_The only thing that gave her reassurance was the words Siyeon had mumbled to her in the rain that night before she left._

_‘I promise I’ll come back stronger..and...taller so that I can help protect you. Don’t worry about me and focus on your classes.’_

_She did come back a little more than a year later, a week before Minji’s twentieth birthday. As promised, she got taller -not as tall as Minji still- and more charming than ever._

_She had been sitting on the porch overlooking the entrance doors of their house every morning since Siyeon sent back a letter a few days before that she would be returning from her training._

_The mere thought of reuniting with her best friend excited her, filling her insides up to the brim with happiness._

_On the fourth day, the moment finally came._

_‘Hello, stranger.’ Minji teased when Siyeon arrived, walking over to her._

_‘Oh, so that’s how it’ll be?’ Siyeon teased back, setting down her traveling bag on the grass._

_‘I don’t know what you’re talking about.’_

_‘You look familiar..hmm..’_

_They went back and forth, foolishly exchanging pleasantries as if they had never met before. Neither of them would pass up the opportunity to joke around._

_In the end, Minji was the first to break character, laughing and spreading her arms wide to welcome Siyeon into a hug._

_Siyeon laughed when Minji did. And just like that, they were back to their old, giggling selves._

_Then Minji reached out and shook her by the arms, her distinct sweet flowery scent lingering along into the air around them._

_‘You. How did you become..’ Minji pondered, looking her up and down._

_‘What?’ Siyeon smiled widely._

_‘Mature, and so.. adult-like.’_

_Attractive..and tempting too. A small voice in the back of Minji’s mind surfaced, which she mentally waved it off like an annoying mosquito._

_‘Stop growing, or people will think you’re older than me.’_

_Her hair had been cut, the dark blue roots that Minji missed so much barely touching the shoulders, and when Minji asked about it, Siyeon shyly ran her hand through it._

_‘I got frustrated. And the long hair was more often a bother than not.’_

_‘Wow, was training that hard?’ Minji asked as they strode across the gardens to the main quarters._

_‘Sensei made us train around the clock. Especially me, courtesy of your mother.’_

_‘I guess I’m sorry?’ She half-apologised, half-mocked._

_‘It’s fine. If it means I get to protect you the best I can, all the struggle was worth it.’_

_A sinking feeling forming in Minji’s heart. Her legs slowed as she glanced up at the clear blue sky._

_‘What is it?’ Siyeon asked, noticing the change in her mood._

_‘Nothing’s going to change between us, right?’_

_A short pause as Siyeon considered the question._

_‘Why do you think we’ll change?’_

_‘Just...I don’t know.’_

_Siyeon shook her head._

_‘There’s no need to worry, come on.’_

_‘Promise me then.’_

_‘That I won’t change?’_

_Minji nodded._

_‘I promise.’_

_‘And that you won’t cut your hair this short ever again.’_

_‘The princess is a little demanding today, but I’ll allow it. Any reason for that by the way or are you just being cheeky?’_

_She shrugged as she answered casually._

_‘I like how you look with long hair.’_

________________________________

_'Experience' was the education in itself for Minji as the years passed by. She became good at handling court affairs, building up strategies, and plotting warfare._

_Soon she learned to voice her own opinions in meetings and make her own decisions, which often clashed with the way her father took charge of his nation._

_He was a smart but unwise leader, fuelled by power and hunger for authority and control, he had no mercy and was immensely oppressive._

_Minji on the other hand did not see fit with those kinds of methods, something she would always remind her father of. There was not a single meeting where the father-daughter duo didn’t end up on different sides of an agreement._

_The generals and lieutenants that made up the council had varying opinions to that. Most would side with their lord, because they were just as bad as him, and to the rest of them who weren’t, simply didn’t trust Minji that much to be siding with her._

_‘An unearned loyalty is dangerous and will betray you when you need it the most.’ Her mother said to her one day after hearing that Minji had caused trouble during one meeting._

_That was the way Lord Matsumoto disciplined his children, by telling his wife to do the work._

_Minji always hated that._

_Why did her mother have to get blamed by her children for something he did?_

_His behavior drastically changed in the months that led to the day of the meeting. Short-tempered than usual, more reckless and cruel than usual, and more delusional than usual._

_Delusional that every nation out there is out for him and his land, thus will disrupt his plans to ascend to the Emperor’s throne when the time comes._

_So naturally, it became more difficult for Minji to deal with him. She had never met with such frustration as that afternoon when he decided to tell them the reason why he had been late._

_‘I met up with a few of my informants. Tomorrow we’ll take over The Heiwa District.’_

_Minji blinked, her heart and mind clogging up with panic._

_The general that followed along with him elaborated before she could speak. General Uchida, her father’s right-hand man. He was a tall and muscled man, twice large as Minji, well-known by his battle-born nickname, General ‘Silver-Teeth’, rumored for chewing off his enemies by the neck with his set of actual silver teeth, something had ordered a blacksmith to mould and a dentist to replace them in his mouth._

_‘We heard word that the other districts are going to try to take them over.’ His voice came out deep and gruff._

_‘Suddenly?’ Minji asked in confusion._

_‘Sooner or later. Any district that manages to take that town under them will guarantee alliance from the others. We might as well take leverage before it happens.’_

_‘What if your informants had been wrong? What if they had fed you false information?’_

_‘It is better to be safe than sorry, my princess.’ He said, almost apologetically._

_Minji turned her attention towards her father, waiting._

_‘What are you not understanding, Minji?’_

_‘What I don’t understand, Father, is why do you feel the need to destroy a town that has no involvement with you, for you to what? Make a point that you can do what you want?’_

_‘You answered your question, didn’t you? A small price to pay for. If they did attack us with the help of the others, we’ll lose our men and our resources.’_

_‘And what of its people? Are they-’_

_‘Collateral damage.’_

_‘That’s not how it works!’ She got up, slamming her hands on the round table._

_Her father gave her a warning look, eyes glaring up._

_‘I set up this meeting to listen to your advice regarding the attack, not your arguments against it.’_

_‘I am your advisor, and I am both advising and begging you, not to make irrational decisions.’_

_‘The others claimed war on us, if we don’t make the first move then they will.’_

_‘Then attack them! Not....’_

_She refrained herself from saying something personal, then let out a steady breath._

_‘The districts have requested their opinion on this ongoing conflict, and they refused to take a side.’ General Uchida argued._

_‘It’s the Heiwa District. They were not meant to take sides in the first place.’_

_‘As they should.’_

_Her father sighed, having expected this kind of response from his daughter. Nonetheless, he gestured for his men to layout the scaled-map in front of them and stood up._

_‘They can’t stay neutral forever.’_

_‘Yes, they can! There are many other ways we can win the war. This is not one of them. This is a brokering of peace.’_

_‘This is our winning move. And if you fail to understand the risk you have to take, you might as well leave the room. Have years of warfare taught you nothing?’_

_Minji looked down at her hands, and let the words out softly, the anger slowly draining out of her._

_‘Have you gone mad?’_

_Everyone in the room tensed, shifting uncomfortably in their seats. Some of their gazes shifted from Minji, then to their lord. The rest of them looked down, averting any eye contact with her._

_‘I am just the same as I was! I am doing this for the good of my people, for the good of my nation! And I don’t need anyone, especially you to tell me otherwise!’_

_‘The law applies to all and everyone including us until it doesn’t?’_

_‘You have a soft heart, fragile and that’s a weakness for a princess that’s born to become a queen one day. Fix it before you bring us down with you.’_

_Her senses had gone numb. She balled up her hands into fists, closing her eyes so the tears wouldn’t fall._

_They would love to see her cry, wouldn’t they?_

_‘I’m sure this goes without saying, but for the sake of my daughter, I’ll repeat it. No word of this to anyone outside of the room.’ He said, his angry eyes still set on her._

_Once again she was outnumbered in this lonely fight, the generals and lieutenants got up, crowding around to see the war plans._

_Fuck them. she cursed in her head._

_They were either pure evil or cowardly for willing to sacrifice a whole town for their gain._

_And Minji was a coward too._

_She had fought, but not enough._

_It seemed no matter what she was going to say next, it would only stretch their precious time._

_She could only wonder if her father had truly gone mad and paranoid with fear._

_The Heiwa District will see destruction tomorrow, that is if she doesn't do something about it._

________________________________

_She avoided Siyeon the rest of the day, faking a headache so that she wouldn’t be able to go into the city._

_In truth, it didn’t need much acting, she was already feeling sick to the core._

_Her mind was torn between warning someone like she should probably do and keeping her mouth shut like she was ordered to do._

_The worst part had been that even though it was morally cruel and dirty to raid and take claim on an innocent town, when it came to war, all was fair._

_The one who had the upper hand will end up winning._

_‘Cheating’ was inevitably but regrettably, an option._

_And Minji knew that._

_If she had slipped the information to someone that could relay it back to the town so that they could make necessary preparations, she was bound to become a traitor to her nation._

_If she stays the way she did, then she will still be a traitor._

_To Siyeon, and to the innocent people living there, undeserving of what her father was about to do. The people who believed in the possibility of a nation that wasn’t run by samurai and soldiers._

_The end of an era, the end of a nation, and the end of a friendship._

_Minji realised, with an aching feeling, that the last one would hurt her the most._

_She held the power to change someone’s fate, but she was too blinded by the fear of being hated and outcast by her people to not have noticed it._

_From time and again she wished someone else would be the one to spread the news, even if it was a tiny bit of a rumour, it would be enough for a warning._

_She didn’t want to be the one to do it._ _She didn’t want to take responsibility._

_The restlessness finally settled in by midnight. Tossing and turning in her bed no longer helped._

_It shouldn’t. Nothing should help ease her misery unless she did something useful._

_She put on a coat over her dress and went to Siyeon’s room, careful not to alert anyone else and cause suspicion._

_On the way, she thought about what to say, how to begin, and what to do, but by the time she reached Siyeon’s room and knocked on the door, she was only greeted by silence._

_She knocked again, gently at first, then a subtle thud, and soon a loud banging._

_The silence unnerved her the more she waited._

_Panic rose inside of her, heart jumping as if it had been shaken around by an invisible string._

_What if she had been late? What if her father tried to tie up any loose ends by taking Siyeon away too?_

_Because it sounded exactly like something her delusional father would do._

_She paced around in the dark, trying to find her way through the mess. She couldn’t tell anyone she didn’t trust._

_The only one she trusted right then with the information was Siyeon herself. And she was nowhere to be found. Not in the kitchens, not in the guest houses, not in their training compounds._

_Nowhere._

_An hour of searching later and she seemed more lost than she had begun._

_Lost at what to do next. Lost in her worried thoughts, in her distress._

_Regret possessed her like a ghost and followed her around, all the way back._

_Her head began to feel dizzy, her eyes stung from the lack of sleep and she was close to collapsing right there and then._

_She might have been imagining Siyeon standing on her doorstep as well._

_Siyeon..standing..on her doorstep._

_She squinted through her blurry vision._

_‘Siyeon?’ Minji whispered. There was no mistaking her. Minji could recognize her even from a mile away if she wanted to._

_At first, there was a relief, that she wasn’t in any kind of danger, then she finally remembered the gravity of their situation with a sudden pang and ran across the gardens that separated them._

_Her dress fluttered against the wind as she put her legs to speed, a cold sensation on her burning skin. She stepped on the engawa floorboard with a loud thud, grabbing Siyeon by the shoulders, and faced her._

_All this time, Siyeon hadn’t moved an inch, staying right where she had been._

_‘I’ve been trying to find you, do you know that?’ She breathed out._

_Minji assessed her up and down. She had been wearing the same clothes from the last time she saw her, but they were drenched from head to toe._

_It was probably from the rain, but there had been no rain the whole day._

_Her face was covered in sweat and..dirt._

_That sweet-flowery scent of hers was no longer there. In its place, all Minji could smell was rain, sand, and leaves._

_Neither of them had to say anything but the situation had presented itself for her._

_Minji felt like she had been punched in the gut._

_Siyeon knew. She already knew._

_Your wish has been granted, Minji. That small voice echoed inside her._

_Then why didn’t it make anything better, and instead made everything feel worse?_

_Minji’s grip tightened as she shook Siyeon hard._

_‘What did you do? What have you done?’_

_Siyeon laid her eyes on Minji for the first time._

_‘What did I do? What didn’t you do, Minji?’_

_Her throat tightened._

_‘I was going- I went to look for-‘_

_Siyeon shook her head, struggling to break herself free. Hot angry tears streamed down her face._

_She had been crying._

_‘You were just going to let my people get slaughtered in a spiritual sacrifice? Just for your father to prove that he can?’_

_There was bitterness, and there was hurt in her voice._

_Spiritual sacrifice- what the hell was she talking about?_

_‘No, no, I wanted to tell you. I’m trying to tell you-‘_

_‘I don’t need your explanation. Forget it. It’s done.’_

_‘What’s done?’ She already knew, but she had to ask. If there was a chance that it wasn’t true._

_‘I already went and warned them.’_

_Minji was knocked back a step, jaw slack with knowing terror. The wet clothes, the dirt, and the sweat, it all made sense._

_Wasn’t this exactly what she had wanted just this afternoon? Without her involvement?_

_Why did that ‘someone else’ had to be Siyeon? Out of all the people, why did it have to be her?_

_‘Siyeon. Look at me.’ She said, but Siyeon refused to listen to whatever she was saying._

_‘Look at me. My father will kill you if he finds out.’_

_Tears filled her own eyes. Her heart throbbed. She didn’t know what to do or say to make this any better._

_How could anyone?_

_‘Let’s go to my mother. She’ll get you out of this town, she has connections, and she can-‘_

_‘I’m not running away, Minji. I came to say goodbye because-‘_

_Siyeon trailed off at the same time loud footsteps marched over to where they were._

_Her father’s guards, and men of the night watch._

_They had come to take Siyeon away. To their eyes, Siyeon was a traitor, a betrayer of her lord and savior._

_Do they even know how wrong they are?_

_Minji had hoped for Siyeon to lash out at her, to shout at her, to get mad at her, to call her names,-traitor, backstabber, anything-._

_Siyeon did none of those._

_She let herself be taken away by the guards while Minji could only stare helplessly._

_‘Why did you-’ Her voice broke into a coarse whisper. Her lips trembled as she tried to finish her sentence._

_‘Why did you turn yourself in?’_

_Siyeon's reply was just as deadly as it was soft._

_‘I’m not a coward. I’ll die for my people, Minji. I’m not a coward like you.’_

_‘Siyeon..’_

_‘And I don’t need your saving.’_

________________________________

_Minji wept in her room all night. The rest of the guards, she later found out, had been ordered to lock her inside and stand guard in front._

_She banged on the door, threw her books at it, she cried when no one opened the door for her, she screamed her frustrations out, wrecked almost everything in her room, and then she cried again._

_The last thing she remembered was passing out on the cold hard floor._

_A little after sunrise she woke up with a jolt. Her eyes hurt from all the crying and the splitting headache wouldn’t go away._

_None of them mattered right now._

_She needed to get to Siyeon. She hated that she knew where exactly to look for her._

_She needed to-_

_There was slight movement outside. Her spine snapped up in attention._

_The doors to her room slid open, the morning sunlight pouring into the mess she had made last night._

_She didn’t think twice. She pushed past the servant serving her breakfast and dashed out in a blink._

_It took the guards by surprise as they ran after her in panicked shouts._

_‘Your grace!’ Said one._

_‘Princess!’ Said another._

_Those names felt like stabs to her heart._

_How can she be the one to lead a nation when she couldn’t be strong enough for something like this?_

_Whenever she thinks back to that day, she liked to believe the universe had been waiting for her arrival._

_The universe might have heard her desperate cry for help and now it was giving her a chance to make all the wrong things right again._

_The guards at the entrance didn’t stop her, the men that crowded in the room peacefully cleared as she shouldered her way through them._

_And she came to Siyeon at just the right time._

_The universe really did want to give her a chance, didn’t it?_

_A foul smell hit her first, and she tried to swallow the bile that rose to her throat once she figured out where it was from._

_One of the men from yesterday’s meeting was dead, his fate sealed by a swing of the sword to his neck._

_Blood pooled around from his headless body._

_He had been the snitch. He was the one that had blabbered. Minji would come to thank the man one day._

_If she doesn’t do something now, the next headless body she sees will be Siyeon’s._

_Her eyes found Siyeon, who was bound by the wrists, on her knees, unfazed but unharmed._

_Five or more men towered over her, one of them bent down, hands reaching out to touch her._

_‘Don’t you dare touch her!’_

_It brought everyone’s attention to Minji. Whispers reverberated all around as people shifted away from where she was._

_Everyone’s attention except Siyeon’s._

_‘What is the meaning of this?’ Her father shouted, sitting in his seat on the dais._

_Swords scraped from its scabbards the moment Minji stepped forward to shield Siyeon. False confidence took over her as she ignored the swords that were aimed at her._

_‘I object to this.’_

_‘You’re objecting to an act of treason.’_

_‘Protecting one’s nation and family is not an act of treason, father.’_

_General Uchida dismissed the samurai that surrounded her and stepped forward to speak._

_‘Her nation and her family belong here. She should have known that when she joined our household.’_

_Why the fuck does he always have to speak for her father? Couldn’t her father speak by himself?_

_Was Minji not worthy enough of his words?_

_‘With all due respect, General Uchida, I’m talking to my father. Not you.’_

_A hint of a vile smile appeared across his wicked face._

_‘As you wish, my princess.’ He said, bowing away._

_Minji had not thought that far. She felt everyone’s eyes and ears on her, waiting for more._

_‘Her nation and her family are still with the Heiwa District. You have no right to execute her.’_

_She closed her eyes to calm herself. Then, slowly and carefully, she demanded._

_‘I won’t let you kill her. I won’t let your men kill her.’_

_There was an unbearable silence afterward._

_‘Do you want to know something, Minji?’_

_Her father set his hands on the armrest and stood up, his red cloak flowing behind him._

_‘You’re right.’ He walked down the dais and took one of the swords his samurai held._

_‘My men won’t kill her.’_

_He threw the sword down at her feet, its silver glinting off the tiles as it fell in a loud clang._

_‘Because you will.’_

_A storm of emotions stirred inside of her, ready to destroy her whole._

_She saw fury and terror in his eyes, but no mercy._

_Never mercy._

_‘Pick it up.’_

_Minji balled her hands into fists, a way to tell him that she will do no such thing._

_‘Pick it up, you ungrateful child!’ He finally snapped._

_‘Pick it up and slay our traitor like a true heir to my crown!’_

_She shook her head in protest._

_‘No.’ She said. ‘I refuse.’_

_‘You will listen. You will answer to me, as my daughter, or you will not be my daughter at all.’_

_The universe had been giving her a chance all this time. Now it was hers for the taking._

_She glanced back at Siyeon. Then at her father once more._

_‘I refuse to kill her. And I refuse to let anyone else kill her.’_

_The lack of surprise on her father’s face scared her the most. All her life, she had never connected with her father._

_One of them had to say things bluntly for the other to understand. But that day, at that moment, he foresaw what Minji was going to do._

_His anger had dissipated as he warned her._

_‘You better choose your next words wisely, or so help me.’_

_‘My life in the Matsumoto Household for her freedom.’_

_From her peripheral, she saw confusion, awe, and disappointment on the people’s faces._

_Fuck them. What do they know about her life?_

_‘Minji, what the hell are you doing?’_

_It was Siyeon. She spoke as if she couldn’t believe what she was hearing._

_‘Proving to you that I’m not a coward like you think I am.’_

_Her father let out a harsh laugh. He looked around at his people._

_‘Leave, all of you.’ He said to them. In an instant, the crowd dispersed outside, save for Siyeon and the generals that idly stood behind her father._

_He sat back down and rubbed a hand over his creased forehead._

_‘When you were born, and I decided to make you my heir apparent, my men advised me against it, saying that I should wait for a son. But had my decision changed, Minji?’_

_‘No. Because I didn’t care whether or not my child was a son or a daughter. As long as they were loyal to me and respected me as a father and a leader. I won’t lie. You were once loyal to me. You did all the things I had hoped for you to do…’_

_Minji knew there was more he had to say. And he was going to say it._ _Like an irresponsible man that he was, his anger directed towards her mother._

_‘But your mother… she has spoiled you. She has made you weak with heart-’_

_‘Don’t bring her into this. Face your problems like a man without bringing your woman into it. Without blaming my mother for the things you have done. If you have run out of excuses to blabber on, then make your decision, father.’_

_His gaze flickered up to hers._

_"The moment you leave this room with that traitor’s head still intact to her body, you’re asking yourself to be stripped of all your titles, your succession to my throne, and ultimately, banishment from the Matsumoto Clan, and this nation. Do not ever think I'm not capable of doing that to you.’_

_Her chest began to hurt, but she wouldn’t falter. Not this time._

_'Minji, no.’ Siyeon begged. ‘Please.’_

_There will only be one traitor today, father, but it wouldn’t be her. It will be me.’_

_Slowly, she took a step back and bent down to pick up the sword._

_It felt foreign and heavy in her hand._

_‘You’re a weakling. Just like your mother. Nothing but a disgrace to the clan and the family.’ He said, but she ignored the words, even if they had stung right into her heart._

_"For my crimes against this nation, and for my betrayal on this family, I’ll accept my banishment and my exile.’_

_Before she could give herself even a split second to change her mind, she walked behind Siyeon to untie her wrists._

_Her shaky and inexperienced hands not only cut through rope but also the skin underneath. Siyeon didn’t flinch, not even a hiss of pain came out from her._

_Without so much as saying a word to her, Minji dropped the sword and stood up._

_‘I hope for you to be a man of your words, Lord Matsumoto. Lee Siyeon is no longer your prisoner. Nor mine.’_

_The air felt different when she got outside._

_It had to feel different. She glanced up at the sky where the sun now hid behind the clouds. Could it be ashamed of what she had done? That she had turned her back on her people for a single person’s life? Maybe it didn’t want to shine down on a traitor like her._

_The dispersed crowd was still there, staring at her with curious and sympathetic eyes, probably thinking Siyeon was dead and that Minji had lost her fight._

_She stared at her people, no, the people, as they bowed down to her._

_‘There’s no need for you to bow down to me. For I am not your princess anymore.’_

________________________________

_The news of her exile spread like wildfire, as did the news of the failed attack on the Heiwa District. That night before, her father’s samurai had marched past the camps and into the hills that skirted the capital, only to find the town deserted and empty. Even if they had tried to invade again, at least the town would be prepared for it._

_Minji just wishes it wouldn’t come down to it._

_While packing up a few of her things from the mess of a room she had left behind, she thought about leaving without bidding farewell to her mother._

_Does she already know? Will she be ashamed of her too? Would she even want to see her now that she had-_

_‘Minji!’ Her mother’s loud cries pierced through the air. She had never heard her mother cry out that way. It had scared her._

_She rushed outside to the gardens, her heart dropping down to her stomach._

_Her mother ran to her, a look of disbelief and shock spread across her face. Her younger brother followed behind, expressing an almost similar emotion as their mother._

_Maybe they were still unable to process the news. Minji couldn’t blame them._

_She still couldn’t either._

_Her mother shook her roughly._

_‘Please tell me…’ Her voice quivered._

_‘Please tell me..what they’re saying isn’t true.’_

_Minji opened her mouth to speak but no words came out. The reality had finally hit her then._

_She stumbled down to her knees and hugged her mother by the legs._

_‘Forgive me.’_

_She didn’t want to cry. She hated to cry in front of her mother. Yet those tears started falling._

_‘Please, forgive me.’ She begged through the tears._

_This was their last memory. She didn’t want it to end. This was not the way she had planned. Not how she sobbed uncontrollably hugging her mother. Not how she trembled, but didn’t let go of her mother. It would hurt to let her go. She hated herself for hurting her mother that way._

_When she opened her eyes again, her mother had knelt in front of her, staring at her with tear-filled eyes._

_‘You don’t need my forgiveness, Minji. I’m proud of you.’ She said, holding her head gently._

_‘Then I ask for your blessing before I go.’_

_Her mother gave her a weak smile and kissed her forehead._

_‘Not all princesses become queens. And that’s okay. You’re my daughter. No matter what happens.’_

_‘No matter where you are.’ She whispered, her voice breaking at last._

_Not being able to hold onto the tears, Minji slowly got up to leave. She felt her mother’s eyes on her and fought the urge to look back. If she sees her one more time, she might never make it out of here._

_Instead, she turned to her brother who stood beside them sniffling, wiping his tears away with the sleeves of his jacket, fixed in his spot._

_‘Take care of her for me.’_

_He nodded. He was only sixteen. He probably has no clue what was happening here. And part of Minji was glad for it._

_She didn’t know whether to wish for him to turn out to become a man their father wanted him to be or for him to follow the same path she now walked._

_Let him write his own history._

________________________________

_On the hard mud-laden ground of the city’s gate stood Minji, an exile scroll in one hand, a roll of bread a villager had secretly given to her in another._

_Lord Matsumoto had banned the townspeople from seeing her off, a deed punishable by imprisonment. He had claimed._

_Minji simply couldn’t be bothered._

_The guards gave her a sympathetic smile and a slight bow of final respect as they closed the gates on her._

_She breathed in the afternoon air, the fragrance of nature comforting her as she took the first step to her new life._

_She let her heart lead the way, following whatever it willed to go._

_The soil began to soften under her boots as she trudged along the outskirts of the city. She caught the sounds of the birds, the rivers and the streams, the whispers of the small creatures, so immersed in the scenery around her that she didn’t hear someone walking towards her from behind._

_‘You’ll pass out in the middle of the forest at this rate.’_

_She paused, her heart drumming against her chest when she realised who had spoken. She was tired, she hadn’t slept properly for over a day, she was still hungry even after having that roll of bread, and most of all Siyeon was right. She was close to passing out._

_‘What are you doing here, you’re free now, aren’t you?’ She said without looking back._

_‘Why did you-why did you throw your life away for someone like me?’_

_‘I did something I should have done. My only regret is that I hadn’t done it any sooner. And for that, I apologise.’_

_‘Minji-yah.’_

_‘Don’t.’ She said softly._

_‘Don’t call me that name.’_

_‘Okay, what about Jiu? Isn’t that what your mother called you when you were younger?’_

_‘Kim Jiu.’ Her mother’s maiden name, a forgotten name resurfacing back in her._

_‘Kim Jiu. It is.’_

_Jiu nodded._

_‘You still haven’t answered my question.’_

_‘I’m here to follow you.’_

_‘Follow me where?’_

_There was a short pause as Siyeon drew closer to her, and put her arms around Jiu. She stiffened, looking down at the hands that held her tight._

_Her wrists were bandaged from the cuts, the last remaining remnants of a painful memory._

_‘After what you have done for me, after what you have done for the sake of my people, I’ll let you drag me to hell if it means I could follow you.’_

_Jiu smiled. A smile that hadn’t been there in a while. And it was all because of Lee Siyeon._

_‘Be careful what you wish for. We have a hazy forest to survive.’_

_Siyeon smiled in return but hadn't said anything._

_‘Will you promise me something, Siyeon?’_

_‘Anything.’_

_‘Promise me that we won’t ever talk about today. Or the days before.’_

_Siyeon’s grip softened as she turned Jiu around to face her._

_‘I promise.’_

_‘Matsumoto Minji is dead. You don’t need to grieve for her. And I won’t waste my tears for her either.’_

_Siyeon nodded solemnly, their eyes locked on each other._

_‘Take me to your sensei.’ Jiu said a while after._

_‘What?’_

_‘I want to be a samurai.’_

_For a second, Siyeon hesitated. But she nodded again, exchanging a smile as she took Jiu by the hand, and began to guide their way through the hazy forest, then up the hills to a place that came to be known as the Seventh District._

_Little did they know that somewhere in the haze, Jiu had lost her smile._

________________________________

> **_“What’s a soulmate?_ **
> 
> **_It’s like a best friend but more. It’s the one person in the world who knows you better than anyone else. That someone who makes you a better person._ **
> 
> **_No, actually they don’t make you a better person. You do that by yourself because they inspire._ **
> 
> **_A soulmate is someone you carry with you forever. It’s one person who knew you, accepted you, and believed in you before anyone else did or when no one else would._ **
> 
> **_And no matter what happens, you’ll always love them and nothing could ever change that.”_ **
> 
> **_-Dawson’s Creek_ **
> 
> **_‘SingJi are soulmates and that is a hill I will die on.’_ **
> 
> **_-OP_ **

**Visual representation of me writing this backstory-**

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> P.S - Kudos to a certain loyal reader who correctly guessed Siyeon's role in Minji's past. XD 
> 
> We'll be back to the present next week! Until then!


End file.
